Apr. 5, 2024 By Seán Ó Briain
A new bagel shop serving the Sunnyside community is set to open its doors on 47th Avenue at the end of May.
Mark Curley and his wife Bridget Kane have teamed up with Anne Muldoon and Killian Hunt of the Lowery Bar and Kitchen to launch Curley’s Bagels, which is set to open at 43-04 47th Ave.- a location previously occupied by Senso Unico which closed in October of last year.
Curley and Kane, who both worked in film and television, diverted their attention to opening a neighborhood bagel store during the SAG-AFTRA strikes, which gave the couple more time to explore other options.
“Myself and Bridget just felt that it was all coming together at the right time, so the strike helped us put more time and energy into getting it off the ground,” Curley said.
Curley and his long-time friend Muldoon have long shared an interest in bagels, leading him to approach her about the new shop.
The pair have spent several months experimenting with different bagel recipes as they prepare to open in Sunnyside next month.
Muldoon and Curley said they have a recipe that they are proud of, adding that each bagel served at Curley’s will be made using non-bleached flour. Muldoon added that the bagels will also be dye-free and contain no added sugar.
“They’re light, fluffy, and they’re going to be filling, but you’re not going to bloated and gross after eating them,” Muldoon explained.
“From my experience with the Lowery, I knew there was no bagel shop around and I knew there was a need for a bagel shop in Sunnyside. The store is going to be about the neighborhood, about customer service, about getting people what they want. We believe in our product 110%.”
The new store will be a grab-and-go location and will serve a variety of New York staples, Curley explained, including specialty bagel sandwiches and bagel schmears, such as bagels with cream cheese or butter.
Curley’s plan to employ between 10 and 15 employees, with Muldoon and Curley actively seeking kitchen and front-of-house staff.
Muldoon added that the local community has shown huge interest in the store ever since the project was announced at the end of last year.
“I need to get a t-shirt saying ‘I promise the store is coming soon’ and I need to wear it every day. People are calling the Lowery asking when is it going to open,” Muldoon said.
“People are stopping me in the street. I went into the bank the other day and a guy asked me when we were opening. I didn’t even know who he was.”
Anyone interested in applying for a position at the new store is encouraged to send their resume to curleysbagels@gmail.com.