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April 17, 2008 Issue

Business Spotlight

Boone Bagelry—The Center of the Universe for 20 Years

Story by Sam Calhoun

Tony Nicastro and his wife and co-owner Donna are most often behind the counter at Boone Bagelry, their restaurant that has become a community icon in the High Country. On May 15, the restaurant celebrates its 20th anniversary. Photo by Sam Calhoun Fifteen years ago, a slightly crazy gentleman from California entered Boone Bagelry and began suspiciously peering around, lifting up menus and peering at items on the counter. After a few minutes of the man acting sketchy, Tony Nicastro, who shares ownership of Boone Bagelry with his wife Donna and sister-in-law Ruth Leighton, asked him what he was doing.

“I was told by a friend in California that this was the center of the universe,” said the man with complete seriousness.

The Boone Bagelry staff chuckles to this day about that story, laughing over whether the crazy man was looking for an “X” underneath the menus, but the crazy man might have had a point.

To people who live in Boone and have witnessed the cult following that Boone Bagelry haphazardly created, the full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant may seem like the center of the universe. What would downtown Boone be like without Boone Bagelry? What if residents of the town never knew what a Bagelicious was?

Thankfully, we never have to look for those answers because, for the last 20 years, Boone Bagelry has made a home in Boone, serving bagels, sandwiches and breakfast foods to tens of thousands of people at 516 West King Street.

Nicastro grew up in Brooklyn until he was 12, eventually moving to Long Island and Florida. Ruth and Donna both attended Western Carolina University and after college and some moving around had the idea to open a bagel shop in the Cullowhee area. But Nicastro didn’t like the idea of a bagel shop near Western Carolina University and started pushing for a move to Boone, a place near where Nicastro’s brother owned property.

“And 20 years ago today, I signed the lease on this building,” said Nicastro.

The building where Boone Bagelry is today was a sub shop when Nicastro moved in. Before that, the building housed Mike’s Inland Seafood, a barbecue restaurant and a Tastee Freeze, the building’s original tenant.

Boone Bagelry opened on May 15, 1988, a time when no more than nine independently owned restaurants were in Boone, according to Nicastro. For the first few years, Nicastro described the restaurant as a “hippie hangout” and “like a coffee shop.” The menu was essentially the same as it is today, but the booths were filled with tie-dye t-shirts and smoke filled the air. Soon though, the Boone Bagelry as we know it started to emerge.

The restaurant became more of a study hangout for students and professors, and business owners started using the restaurant as a meeting place. Fifteen years ago, Nicastro added vegetarian items to the menu. The restaurant is now completely nonsmoking, more healthy items are on the menu and a 5 percent cash discount helps speed up wait time at the register. Throughout its entire history, Boone Bagelry has offered free delivery. In the next few months, Nicastro said, the restaurant will start using more green products for silverware and to-go ware.

Nicastro’s business secrets are simple—friendly service, good food and consistency.

“The people who came in here 20 years ago are getting the same Bagelicious today as they did back then,” said Nicastro. “All we wanted to do is start a restaurant and pay the bills, and we’re doing pretty well.

“We’re kind of an open book—what you see is what you get,” added Nicastro, 46.

On any day of the week, dozens of regulars pass through the doors of Boone Bagelry to sit at one of the restaurant’s 60 indoor seats or 20 outdoor seats on the patio. Twelve personable employees—mostly ASU students—serve quick meals and welcome newcomers with Southern charm. Nicastro has employed hundreds of ASU students over the years and has enjoyed ASU football’s championship run because he sees past employees at all the games.

Nicastro, Donna and Ruth have no plans to leave their adopted home anytime soon.

“This is it,” said Nicastro. “We have no plans to expand; this is a good size for me. I don’t say it exactly how Jimmy Buffett does, but I believe ‘changes in altitude, changes in attitude’ and this is where I like to be.”

Boone Bagelry is located at 516 West King Street in Boone. The restaurant is open from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. Free delivery is available during business hours. For more information, call 828-262-5585.