Four days a week, way before sunrise, Keith Anderson is busy rolling dough for bagels that often sell out in a matter of hours at Black Market Bagels.
“The community has really embraced this place — I’ve been overwhelmed by that,” Anderson said. “The people in Galesburg really do support local, and that’s been really great.
“But I can’t burn the candle at both ends too much longer.”
That’s why Anderson is seeking city assistance in the form of a revolving loan that will enable Black Market Bagels to add some new equipment, but more importantly allow for the addition of extra staff.
Black Market Bagels was a one-man operation when it opened at 337 E. Main St. in November 2021. It has since added second employee, however Anderson said a third employee will enable him to focus on expanding the business.
Anderson said he would continue make the dough in advance, and an additional employee that would arrive at 2:30 a.m. would do the boiling and baking the day the bagels go to customers.
Additional staff and equipment would also allow BMB to achieve better efficiencies and expand into new products like breakfast sandwiches.
The Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development Loan Review Committee has recommended the approval of a $10,000 revolving loan for a period of five years. According to a city council agenda item, the city manager and director of Community Development concur with the Loan Review Committee’s recommendation.
Black Market Bagels is requesting the $10,000 revolving loan as part of a larger $25,000 expansion financing project in conjunction with F&M Bank. Council members will consider approving the loan at Monday’s Galesburg City Council meeting.
The shop is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 6:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Black Market Bagels offers a wide variety of freshly-baked bagels, schmears and coffee.
“I always expected business to go well, but how the town and the people have responded to us has been more than I anticipated,” Anderson said.
Asked what’s most popular at his shop, Anderson said, “Asiago bagels just fly out the door. And the bagel chips have been really popular. It kind of came out of necessity, because what do you do with leftover bagels? People love them.”
Breakfast sandwiches. cold-cut sandwiches during the lunch hour and BMB merchandise like T-shirts are on the horizon at Black Market Bagels.
“I want to develop some new bagel flavors, and we’ll experiment with some breakfast sandwiches,” Anderson said. “I want to make sure we can do them well before we pull the trigger.”
