PLATTSBURGH — Banjo’s Bagels on Margaret Street will be the latest place to talk about favorite books, movies, TV series and music, or to just grab a bite to eat.
Co-owners of the new downtown business Jordan and Moira Spadafora will open the doors to their pop culture inspired bagel shop this month.
Banjo’s Bagels will offer a breakfast and lunch menu with items named after iconic movie, TV, book and videogame characters, as well as musicians and local references. To build the theme, the place is decorated with memorabilia from movies like Star Wars and Toy Story, as well as comics and books.
BUILDING A VIBE
Jordan, a self-proclaimed “nerd,” said his favorite book cover ever was on J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” so he painted a mural of it in the shop. With his wife Moira’s help, the shop also has a wall covered in “repainted” pieces from thrift stores and yard sales.
“This is repainting,” Jordan said, referring to the collection. “We got most of these at thrift stores, and then we painted things over them … Almost every piece of art in here was made by someone else, but we brought it back to life.”
On the wall across from the mural is a collection of guitars and banjos painted by Jordan.
In the back corner of the shop is a bright orange sofa, based on a similar seating arrangement featured in the fictional New York City coffee shop Central Perk in the ‘90s sitcom “Friends.”
“We are big movie and TV people, books and comics, like anything,” Jordan said. “We were going for sort of a ‘Friends’ vibe, so we got the couch.”
Jordan and Moira, both from Westport, met for the first time in eighth grade but did not get together until after high school. The two married three years ago and, for the past year and half, have juggled raising their daughter and opening the new shop.
The two worked together at McSweeney’s Red Hots for 11 years.
“Working together is so nice,” Moira said. “We are a good team.”
She wasn’t sure what to expect when taking on this project but is already happy with the support before opening day.
“I am so happy with how the community has supported us,” Moira said, emphasizing coming from a smaller community “I was surprised by how much is going on and how welcoming and loving the other businesses are.”
WHAT TO EXPECT
Banjo’s Bagels’ main vendor is the same company as the location’s previous owner, Bagel Pit, so returning customers can expect some familiar favorites.
“We are hoping for a similar, but definitely changed, vibe,” he said. “People in the area can come in and get their sandwiches the way they want.”
Changes and additions to the menu will come with time, Moira said.
“We’ll see what the customers dictate,” she said.
Bagel flavors planned for opening day include plain, everything, jalapeno, asiago, sesame seed, poppy, garlic, wheat bran, pumpernickel, spinach, onion, sun dried tomato, cinnamon raisin, rainbow, French toast, honey wheat, chocolate chip, blueberry, cranberry and very berry.
“We will make the cream cheeses in-house — five to 10 always rotating,” Jordan said. “I am one of the weirdos who likes cotton candy ice cream, and I thought, ‘I want to make cotton candy cream cheese,’ so it’s half pink and half blue.”
Some of the cream cheese flavors include plain, chive and onion, jalapeño, garden vegetable, cinnamon sugar, honey almond, maple walnut, green olive, garlic herb, sun dried tomato, cucumber dill, hot honey, pumpkin, smoked salmon, cotton candy, lemon, strawberry, carrot cake, cranberry pecan, apple cinnamon, caramel apple, berry, blueberry, cranberry orange, pineapple orange and blueberry lemon.
From the breakfast menu, there are items like The Hulk, which includes egg, cheese, sausage, bacon and ham, or the Ron Swanson, which includes egg, cheese, steak and grilled onion.
From the lunch menu, the It Always Sunny in Philly Cheese Steak includes steak, cheese, onions and peppers.
“There are enough references that someone will get a couple,” Jordan said.
A PLACE TO TALK BOOKS AND MOVIES
He said a goal of his for Banjo’s Bagels is to create a space for people to come and talk about their favorite books, debate their favorite movies and share a meal.
“I want to get people talking,” he said.
And if a customer is looking for recommendations?
“I have so many suggestions. They can even borrow a book from here, if they want.”
Banjo’s Bagels is located at 50 Margaret St.
For more information visit facebook.com/p/Banjos-Bagels-61578815670755.