A popular Montreal-style bagel shop is closing again in Whitby, Ontario — this time for good

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A popular bagel shop in Whitby closed in February and then reopened a week later after a public outcry, this time with no chance of reopening.

Ottawa-based Kettleman's Bagels opened two years ago in the Taunton Gardens plaza north of Whitby, and their Montreal-style bagels were an instant hit. The store was unable to maintain sales momentum and closed in early February, with the company thanking customers for their patronage. “Kettleman and this community hold a special place in our hearts,” reads a sign on the door.

A week later, the store reopened, albeit with a reduced menu and no 24-hour service. “We listened to people and decided to reopen,” said Emma Latreille, Kettleman's communications manager.

Fast forward two months and the store is closed again. According to the new sign on the door, this time it's a good one.

“This store is permanently closed,” the message said. Thank you for your concern.”

Much of the goodwill the bagel shop had built up in its first two years was wiped out after it closed in February, with a reduced menu and other changes to less than stellar reviews.

Comments on social media on Thursday read: “Their food was delicious, we loved it. It's a shame the economy is a total loss” “You're really not missing out on much” and “I've tried it once but wasn't impressed” and some noted that bagels can be purchased at local grocery stores. what ever.

“They sell bagels at Farm Boy across the street!”

The main outcry seems to be that the company decided to stop making fresh bagels every day after closing. and go to the limited menu. “They were better than Tim's Bagel, but not as good as the one they grabbed in Montreal,” read one comment.

The sign also directed bagel lovers to check the company's website and find another location.

Kettleman's opened in Ottawa in 1993 and has four locations in the capital, one in Montreal and three in Toronto, with the closest to Whitby on Yonge and Eglinton.

The Whitby location opened on June 20, 2022, serving Montreal-style bagels that are boiled in honey and water and baked in a wood-fired oven, giving them a crunchy crust and sweet flavor. Bagels are smaller than a New York-style bagel, but remain doughy and dense.

Indurham reached out to Latreille, who confirmed the store's closure, but did not make an official statement as to why or if the company has any future plans for the Durham area.

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