When Phil and Patty Santomassi decided to sell their bagel business, Tony Di Norcia knew that the time had come to take the plunge.  

After relocating to Wilmington in 2013, Di Norcia spent a year scouting out potential business opportunities. When Beach Bagels, 7220 Wrightsville Ave., became available, Di Norcia purchased the business from the Santomassis. Although Di Norcia’s background is in the financial sector, he was looking for an opportunity to own an established business.

“Phil and Patty did such a great job here,” Di Norcia said. “I just couldn’t pass up on this opportunity.”

Di Norcia plans to keep the menu as is for now. Several of his staff were with the restaurant prior to the sale, but he has brought in new staff as well.

“Right now we just want to get everyone on the same page, working together and putting out great food,” Di Norcia said. “It’s important that we get the food out quickly for our customers.”

The menu consists of breakfast sandwiches and omelets, which are served all day, and lunch sandwiches. Beach Bagels' best seller is a breakfast sandwich called the Jose, which combines eggs, bacon, sausage, onions, jalapenos, provolone and cream cheese on a bagel or ciabatta bread. The bagels as well as other breakfast pastries are all baked fresh daily.

Although Di Norcia anticipates tweaking the menu slightly over time, he knows a good thing when he sees it and his customers do, too. He wants to please the restaurant’s loyal customer base of locals and college students and satisfy the beachgoers as well.

“As the old saying goes … If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Di Norcia said. “But that being said, things are going great so far, and I feel they can only get better.”

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