Buffalo Grove Resident Buys Original Bagel & Bialy

Buffalo Grove resident Lon Gitler is the new owner of the in The Grove shopping center.

“I’m so excited to be a presence in the community by talking and interacting with customers on a daily basis. I have a real love for business and this restaurant," said Gitler, who acquired the restaurant in early May.

Gitler, who has lived in Buffalo Grove on and off for the past 14 years, is also the father of two sets of twins. His 10-year-old sons, Blake and Brett, are entering fifth grade at , where his 7-year-old daughters, Alyvia and Alexa, will be second-graders.

Gitler, who started working in the corporate food service industry in 1988, had relocated to Texas when they learned his wife, Karyn, was pregnant.

“After we found out Karyn was pregnant with our first set of twins, we decided I would stay at home for the benefit of the family while she worked,” Gitler said.

He had been thinking about joining a different restaurant group when the opportunity to purchase Original Bagel & Bialy arose.

“Owning a business was always a dream of mine, but we had to put it on hold when we discovered we were expecting twins,” he said. “Now that the kids are older, I can fulfill my dream."

Gitler, who has been back in Buffalo Grove since 2003, held various part-time jobs while raising his children.

Known around town as “Coach Lon,” Gitler has taught sports at the JCC and at Apache Camp in Lake Zurich and has met residents through JCYS, where his children attended preschool.

“It’s fun," Gitler said. “The kids I’ve taught see me out of their element and now they call me “Chef Lon.”

Since taking ownership, Gitler has made many enhancements at the restaurant, which now offers an outside eating area, free Wi-Fi and free food samples.

“I’ve also updated our website and I am looking forward to educating our clients," he said.

“We are also looking at curbside service, expanding our hours and establishing more communication with our customers," he said. "We also have a great bakery and are able to create personalized cookies.”

“My kids are very excited and say, “Now we can get free bagels whenever we want.” 

Customers might encounter the younger Gitlers, who “like to help out by putting drinks in the cooler, wiping off tables and cleaning the glass," their father said.

Gitler runs his business through a corporation he named ABBA, Inc. The Bs in the middle are for his boys, and the As on the end are for his girls. Coincidentally, “Abba” means “father” in Hebrew.