Pam and Tony DeGrandi stands with their family in front of the Fancy Bagels logo.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
AGAWAM — When Pam and Tony DeGrandi moved to Southwick with their family a couple years ago, they were disappointed to learn that there weren’t as many bagel places in the area compared to their previous home in South Windsor.
“We loved going to bagel places in and around South Windsor, but when we moved here, there was no bagel places,” Pam said. “So, we were trying to figure out what we were going to do.”
One of those bagel places Tony would typically frequent was Fancy Bagels, the Connecticut-based franchise that began in 1988. In an interview, Pam recalled how Tony — who used to work in Bristol — would visit the Fancy Bagels in Southington, Connecticut, to get his regular order. Funny enough, that recurring visit to the Hartford County location eventually led to Tony and Pam’s own Fancy Bagels franchise.
Tony called the owners to express interest in opening a store.
“When Tony called [owner] Dom [Gualtieri], Dom was like, ‘I remember you, golden grilled with butter,’” Pam said with a laugh. The duo opened a Fancy Bagels location in Southwick at 587 College Hwy. last July, and have now opened an Agawam one in the Southgate Shopping Plaza at 838 Suffield St. The two stores are Tony and Pam’s first foray into the restaurant business after decades of combined experience in the retail business.
As of press time, the family-oriented business has already garnered 300 customers a day at the Agawam location, evidence that traffic from the Suffield Street plaza is benefiting them immensely.
Tony said the traffic flow was a huge reason for opening in that area.
“It was going really good at the [Southwick] location, and we just naturally wanted to do another location,” Tony said. “When this space became available, we started inquiring about it.”
Because Fancy Bagels is a franchise, Tony and Pam use the shop’s name and the New York-style bagels, but what they do with those bagels is totally up to them.
Aside from the standard-issue breakfast and lunch bagel sandwiches, Tony said almost all the sandwiches they sell are named after their family members and are also inspired by what their family members like.
He said there’s one sandwich called “The Cardinale,” which contains bacon or sausage, egg, cheese with a hash brown and chipotle sauce.
Another sandwich, known as “the Monster,” is named after their brother-in-law. That one has ham, bacon, two eggs, a hash brown and cheese on a bagel: “everything but a pancake, basically,” Tony said.
The duo also sells other specialty bagels, burritos and lunch sandwiches, such as “The Derek,” which has shaved steak, the customer’s choice of cheese, grilled onions and peppers on the customer’s choice of a bagel.
Tony said everything on the menu is made fresh and nothing is cooked in the microwave.
“All of our ingredients are made fresh, and everything is done in-house,” Tony said. “We want to put out a consistent product that is good and that customers love.”
According to its website, Fancy Bagels has been family owned and operated since 1988. Relatives of co-owner Salvatore Belcaro started the business and Gualtieri joined the business as a baker after graduating from high school.
The bagels came from Belcaro’s parents, who lived in Long Island and brought the bagel idea to Farmington, Connecticut.
Tony said they have had strong ties with the current owners for many years.
“We’re a franchise, but we’re not a traditional franchise,” Tony said. “Those guys I’ve known for 30 years just off and on … it’s just been the right fit.”
The Agawam and Southwick locations are open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the weekend. For more information head to fancybagelsouthington.com.
