For many, Collegetown Bagels and Ithaca Bakery are virtually synonymous with Ithaca itself. The two local institutions have kept the community well caffeinated and well fed for years.
The Brous family—the group behind the bagels and baked goods—has deep Ithaca College ties. Two of the five partners, brothers Gregar Brous ’81 and Ramsey Brous ’90, are Ithaca College alumni. Their father, Ira Brous, was an IC professor of economics, and their mother, Anne Brous, was an associate professor of sociology.
Gregar worked at Collegetown Bagels during his last two years as a student at IC. Upon graduating, he realized he liked the bagel business. So in 1981, the Brous and Mehaffey families bought Collegetown Bagels together.
In 1989, when Ithaca Bakery was for sale, the Brous family bought that business, too. Ramsey had recently graduated and decided to work with his brother. Soon after, Ira retired from academic life and focused on the catering side of operations. Anne joined the business working in a human resources role.
Fast-forward to the present, and their operational model has expanded well beyond bagels. The Brous’s business is progressive: They use and generate solar power, and there are electric car charging stations at the Meadow Street location. All employees are paid living wages. The company also has a partnership with the Friendship Donations Network, which collects unsold perishable items daily and distributes them to local food pantries.
The Ithaca Bakery location opened on IC’s campus as part of the college’s commitment to engage Ithaca’s small businesses. In reflecting on this commitment, Gregar said, “[Ithaca College does] a very good job at connecting to the community and letting the students know the community is a key part of their education and should be part of their experience while they are here.”
Yet Ithaca is not where the Brous’s story ends. Last summer, Collegetown Bagels opened its first non-Ithaca location in Syracuse, New York, close to Syracuse University’s campus. “I think they were glad to get a locally based place up there with quality food. We have had a great response since day one,” Gregar reported.
The family’s idea is to make their company into something for the next generation. Gregar’s children, Lindsey and Miles, have joined the business, and they anticipate additional regional expansion in the future.
