The Essex Street Market is a Lower East Side staple when it comes to fresh food and prepared goods. Meet the vendors in this profile series and swing by the market all month long during May to celebrate 75 years of Essex Street Market.
Davidovich Bakery is the story of two men searching for the best bagel in NYC.
With their search yielding minimal satisfaction, they decided to recreate the delicious, mouth-watering bagels they had once tasted in their Grandmother’s kitchen for themselves. Davidovich Bakery was born.
That was 1998. Today, Davidovich remains a family business, where you can order online, over the phone, or on-site at Davidovich’s first retail location at Essex Street Market.
We spoke to Kate, Davidovich’s director of retail operations, about what it’s been like to work out of their flagship retail location at Essex Street Market.
Business name: Davidovich Bakery Shop
Business owner: Gene Davidovich
Market start: Since October 2013
Product sold: Davidovich bagels, French pastries, traditional muffins and cookies, house made cream cheeses, signature sandwiches, and coffee and espresso drinks.
What is your favorite memory at the market?
There are so many great memories. One of them goes back a year ago when we were just building our shop. Market customers were very curious about who we were and what we would be selling. After they heard “fresh bagels,” you could see their happy faces and excitement. Everybody could not wait until we opened.
What is your favorite time of the week at the market and why?
Our favorite time is Saturday morning/lunch. That is the time when the market is fully alive with lots of visitors. All vendors are excited to serve lines of customers and grow their businesses.
Do you source any of your own products from within the market?
Yes, we source veggies for our signature sandwiches and salads. We are very happy with the quality.
Are there any fun facts about your business that you want to share?
We love our customers and it is always a joy to see those who come back/become regulars.
By the time one of our regulars approaches the counter, our crew members are already in the process of preparing the order, such as picking the specific bagel flavor or making a drink by memory etc.. Customers feel very special about that and even honored when a crewmember remembers their preference. This positive energy makes the whole purchase very enjoyable and fun for both the customers and for us.
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