It's discouraging to find out from the paper that the bagel shop you go to for years is closing. Bagelman's has been my morning stop weekdays for at least four years, and the group I hang out with, sometimes called by their staff "The Emperors' Club", contains some of my best friendships off campus in the St. Cloud area. It has been a longstanding view of the Club that we try to support other local business owners, and the closing of Bagelman's leaves us struggling to find another local business that has decent breakfast sandwiches and strong enough coffee for my friend Burt to not bitch at the owners. (Not that he didn't at Bagelman's!)

Unfortunately two national chains that anchored the mall Bagelman's was in have closed, and the big-box Panera set up right across the street. I guess I'll get to try some of that hospitality that Chad the Elder experienced over there for awhile until the Emperors regroup.

Until then, farewell Pete and Jill!