Nathalie Dubé put her small bagel shop, O’Bagels Café, up for sale three weeks ago, as she intends to end a successful run of 17 years in operation, adding to a growing list of businesses disappearing from Coaticook’s downtown landscape.
In a phone interview, Dubé told The Record that while the pandemic put a lot of stress on her bagel shop, the reason behind her decision to sell is simple: she’s tired. She wants to move on to other endeavours. And Dubé already has an idea to turn her home into a new business.
“I have a big house. My youngest son just left with his girlfriend, so I have four bedrooms. I’m going to turn my house into a bed and breakfast, but without the breakfast,” Dubé said, laughing over the phone. “And everybody needs people to work, so I’m not worried.”
She has been working at the bagel shop on her own for the past year. Her boyfriend used to be there with her but he found another job during the pandemic. The 55-year-old Dubé said it has been overwhelming at times, noting she has mountains of dishes to clean every day.
She told The Record that hiring an employee to help run the business was never really an option. She can’t afford an extra set of hands. Dubé said she’s sad about moving on, but she added that it feels like the right time. Her customers have been a bit distraught, though.
Subscribe to The Record for the full story and more
