Meet The Adventurous Couple Behind Bam Bam’s Bagels
HALIFAX – Bam Bam’s Bagels may have only been open for less than a year, but the impact it had on Dartmouth customers can not be understated. When you walked into the Tacoma Dr location, not only would you get a delicious bagel, but chances are you got a great story from the two owners: Glen Orzy and Sandy Faria.
The two have lived an adventurous life. Many of the places they landed in, and businesses they started, seemed to come from this impulsive spirit — or fate.
In fact, in their interview with Huddle, one of the first stories they tell is the unique way they met the man, Ron, who would remodel the inside of their bagel shop. It all came from a love of Star Trek and a little peek through a window.
“I think I was walking down the street two years ago,” recalled Glen. “And I noticed through the living room window that there were some Star Trek memorabilia on the wall. So I kinda looked in and I continued to walk. All of a sudden, this gentleman comes out of the side of the house.”
“I got to go into his house and look at all the Star Trek stuff. He has a wonderful Star Trek collection, better than ours.”
In October of 2021, thanks to the incredible handyman skills of Ron, Bam Bam’s opened at their inviting location on Tacoma Dr. As soon as you entered, you had a warm, comfortable feeling. It is one of those restaurants where you would rather dine in than take out.
So, it’s understandable that customers were heartbroken on August 19. That’s when Glen and Sandy announced they were closing the bagel shop. The couple had just recovered from Covid-19 and felt drained health-wise.
Once you tasted a Bam Bam bagel, you would never return to something from Tim Hortons or Sobey’s. Their salted bagel was especially divine.
In fact, it was the lack of quality bagels in Dartmouth that encouraged Glen and Sandy to open Bam Bam’s. They both loved the food, but the mass-produced stuff wasn’t cutting it for them.
“Grocery store is basically bagel-shaped bread,” said Sandy with disdain. “A real Montreal bagel, fresh out of the oven, is going to be crispy on the outside, chewy and a little doughy on the inside.”
But Bam Bam’s served more than just delicious bagels. It was also a location where you could buy soups, sandwiches, desserts, pasta, and meatballs.
For Sandy, owning Bam Bam’s served a deeper personal purpose as well. While living in Dartmouth, she missed the feeling she got when cooking for her large family.
“I miss having a big family to cook for. In Toronto, it would be nothing for me to have 30 people, 40 people, on a weekend to feed. And I loved.”
The Early Years
Sandy and Glen first met in the ’80s through mutual friends. Like many couples who have been married for decades, the two will often correct each other when small details don’t align in their memories.
“We met a couple times, actually, and he doesn’t even remember,” remarked Sandy.
“I remember the cottage,” Glen corrected. “Of course, I do.”
Not long after they started dating they would take a vacation to the Dominican Republic, which would lead them to Victoria British Columbia, where they would start their first business. If it feels confusing how all these things are connected, just let Glen and Sandy explain.
“We purchased a holiday from Wardair,” recalls Sandy. “I don’t know if you remember Wardair but it was a really nice airline.”
“It was a nice cheap holiday and there were a lot of little issues with the hotel like the toilets not working; they left you buckets of water (to flush). We didn’t complain much, but other people complained.”
The hotel eventually moved the guests to a villa. Sandy and Glen now had a hot tub. The only problem was the tub wasn’t clean. Glen started talking about his hot tub experience before Sandy corrected him on some details once again.
“You didn’t get in,” she insisted. “You thought, ‘let me pour some shampoo in and that will clean it.’”
The added shampoo, of course, led to the hot tub overflowing with “mounds of suds.”
“We had a great time, but when we got back home a lot of people complained that it wasn’t good,” said Sandy. “A month later we got a letter in the mail from the airline. In it was a cheque for half of the cost of our trip.”
“I take the cheque out, behind the cheque is a voucher for the other half of our trip on the airline.”
Using the generous offer from Wardair, the couple flew out to visit Victoria, B.C. Most people will plan a move to another city months or years in advance. But not Sandy and Glen.
“We fell in love with it,” said Sandy. “Went back to Toronto, sold our house within a month and within two months we were living in Victoria.”
It was while living out West that Glen got into the emerging laser printer business. Later, in the ’90s Sandy bought a Garden Centre. In the 2000s the couple began driving all over North America. It was during an accident during their travels that Glen and Sandy came to believe in the healing powers of specialized magnetic jewelry.
“When we were in Florida, it was a bad windstorm. I went to get out of the trailer and the wind took the door and wrenched my shoulder,“ recalled Sandy.
“I bought a piece, just a little bracelet. I was so impressed with what it did for me.”
While operating Bam Bam’s, the two sold bracelets and necklaces that Glen had designed.
Now that Bam Bam’s Bagels is closed only time or fate will tell what adventure Glen and Sandy try next. Given their friendly nature and ability to please customers, hopefully, there will be another business on the horizon.
Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].