A weekend in Charlottesville can be spent enjoying a variety of activities. One can find himself or herself hiking the Blue Ridge, touring Monticello, walking UVA's Grounds, or watching a much maligned football team at Scott Stadium, among other things. Aside from these delightful pursuits, one constant stands alone. Whether you wake up with a headache or you emerge from church invigorated, your destination is set: Bodo's Bagels.
Having lived in Charlottesville for over 12 years, I consider myself an insider, familiar with all the menu items, from the deli egg to the Caesar salad. Without fail, I visit Bodo's once a week. It is such pleasant experience, and folks will stand in a line stretching onto the sidewalk just to get their breakfast. Until I stumbled across The Bagel Blog, I hadn't even considered the business reasons for Bodo's tremendous success.
I think Bodo's thrives for a number of different reasons. Firstly, everyone (and I mean everyone) goes there. It's easy to strike up a conversation with someone you know, but it's also a spot regular enough that you can avoid the small talk. Secondly, the product itself always satisfies expectations with regard to taste, service, and cleanliness. Finally, the line moves quickly, and employees are attentive and engaged. (The house music is usually pretty good, too.) In the restaurant business, patrons want exactly what they expect, maybe a little more on occasion. Bodo's delivers this value every time, and this consistently solidifies their brand.
Bagel shops everywhere should take notice. If you're lucky, people will blog about you.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
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