LeAnna Totten’s path to opening her own restaurant in Crossville began as a young girl in Long Island, New York, where she grew up working in her family-owned seafood restaurant and market.
LeAnna’s parents encouraged her to get involved in the business, but she eventually strayed away, moving to Florida after college and getting involved in the furiously-paced (at the time) real estate world.
After meeting Crumberland County native Hassell York in Florida, and coming to Crossville for a visit with him, she moved here and got her feet wet in the food business. She opened HWY 127 BBQ , which was located in the small building near the entrance to Cumberland Mountain State Park. It had been operated previously by Buddy McCuiston.
“I bought an electric smoker and really got serious about the business, but I had no idea what kind of time was required,” LeAnna said. “We had a pretty good BBQ product, but we decided to move on. That’s when I started thinking about the bagel business.”
While living in the Ocala area of Florida, LeAnna became a regular at Chesapeake Bagels. In the back of her mind, she thought this might be a business she would open someday, so she started paying close attention to everything during her visits there. She studied their menu, and as a regular customer, she knew how bagels should and should not taste.
She became familiar with the equipment they used and put all those observations to good use when he decided to open Bagels on Main, her quaint little shop that serves both breakfast and lunch foods, Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“I had met Tonya Hinch (of DCi) earlier and she told me about the building on main being empty (across from Palace Theater),” LeAnna said. “I went to see Mrs. Hughes (the landlord), and before I knew it, I was remodeling the building, making a restaurant out of it.” Leanna is a volunteer for Downtown Crossville, Inc. and is proud to be located in historic downtown Crossville.
“I would like to invite groups to come in and make us your meeting place for morning coffee. We offer free refills and always have a special coffee of the day,” she said. The big difference in this shop and other gathering places is this place has some of the most delicious home-baked bagels and cinnamon rolls you ever tasted. As a matter of fact, I had a toasted cinnamon-raisin bagel with cream cheese for breakfast the day I interviewed Leanna for this story, and it sure made my coffee taste good.
LeaAnna’s first day was Saturday, January 21 and she was pleasantly surprised to have a really busy day, and eventually sold out of all bagels and buns. LeAnna’s sister and brother-in-law, Ashley and Kyle Parman, also recently moved to Crossville from Florida (Leesburg), along with Leanna’s mother, Judy Fedele, and they all enjoy working in the shop.
More items to come
The little restaurant and bagel shop is just getting started. LeAnna made it clear the day we talked that as the business evolves, she plans to add homemade breads and other baked goods to her menu. She already serves a delicious cinnamon bun. “We have already had some requests from the Jewish community to bake Challah bread for them, and we have agreed to do that,” LeAnna said.
Bagels on Main bakes their own sourdough bread, which they use for some of their sandwiches. I had a delicious tuna melt on the opening day and took bagels home to the girls.
This is one of those little quaint, out-of-the-way places every town needs. We are very excited about our new addition to rhe Crossville restaurant scene and encourage people to support them.
At first glance, parking would appear to be a problem, with just the parking available on Main Street in front of the shop, but LeAnna was quick to tell me there was plenty of convenient parking out back, and a back entrance. She said she would soon have a sign up behind the building to show people where to enter, if they were unfamiliar.
Bagels on Main has a very enticing menu, offering the following bagels: plain, Poppyseed, “Everything,” Onion, Sesame, Blueberry, Cinnamon Raisin, and Sun-Dried Tomato.
You can also have your bagel served with cream cheese; with flavored cream cheese; with egg and cheese; with meat, egg and cheese; and with lox, cream cheese, red onion and capers.
Cream cheese flavors are plain, low fat, veggie, strawberry and honey walnut. They also have salads (Deli Supreme and Cobb) and 8 sandwiches on their lunch menu. They have a very good selection of coffees, hot tea, bottled water and soft drinks.
They are located at 69 South Main, across the street from the Palace Theater. Their phone number is 456-1999. Call ahead for pick-up , or ask about delivery. They accept VISA, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
