Bun Appetit combines tradition, innovation

When the old Texaco gas station turned car wash and mechanic shop at 215 Main St. became available for purchase circa 2006, Jodi Metcalf purchased it and built it into a very successful bakery and more.

Just this past October, Metcalf hung up her apron and entered the world of retirement, but before doing so, she handed a proverbial new set of aprons to Bun Appetit’s new owners, Chad and Crystal Sinclair.

“We plan to make it our own,” Crystal said. “We do plan to keep most of the original recipes and current menu items but also [add] in some new ideas of our own. We’re also committed to making everything as fresh as possible.”

The Sinclairs have since changed the name of the business to “Bun Appetit Bakery & Cafe” and have already designed and launched a new logo, created a website (grotonbakery.com), added a computerized POS (point of service) machine to streamline the business end of things and even implemented reloadable gift cards customers may give as gifts or use as their own “debit card” for use at Bun Appetit.

Chad and Crystal are no strangers to Groton and are thrilled to embark upon this new adventure as a family, including help from their daughters, Chelsey (Sinclair) O’Shea, Cady and Christy Sinclair and Chad’s father, Lynn Sinclair.

Chad was born and raised in Groton and is a 1993 graduate of Groton High School and TST BOCES, where he studied machining. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

While serving as a sergeant in the Marine Corps, Chad was a tank mechanic at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, utilizing his BOCES education well. His father served as a Marine in Vietnam and was the inspiration behind Chad’s enlistment in 1994.

Through the years, Chad has worked at various machining companies in the area and has been a lineman with IBEW/LU 1249 since 2008.

Crystal grew up in Dryden and is a 1993 alum from Dryden High School. She was also a student in cosmetology at TST BOCES, but she did not meet Chad while there.

Ever since she was 15 years old, Crystal has worked in and around the foodservice industry.

“My Aunt Mary [Todi] was the manager of Howard Johnson’s Restaurant when it was in Ithaca, and my Aunt Bonnie [Harvey] was the assistant manager when I was 15,” Crystal said. “One time when I was there, they were short-staffed, so they had me start taking orders from customers, and I loved it!”

Since then, although she did work preparing food in the NYSEG cafeteria after high school, Crystal had been a waitress in a few different places in the area, including Ackley’s in the Pyramid Mall (now The Shops at Ithaca Mall). It was there that she and Chad met.

“Chad worked at Friendly’s,” Crystal explained. “And I went over there to get some change one day. My cousin, Jessica Weeks, was with me and introduced us.”

Both Crystal and Chad said their “eyes locked,” and they knew there was “something there.” Crystal began working at Friendly’s in October 1991. They began dating that December, got engaged in 1993 at The Station Restaurant in Ithaca and were married in December 1995.

They came back to Groton when Chad’s military service was over because they missed it and wanted to raise their family here and have their girls attend Groton schools. Chelsey, Cady and Christy are GHS alumni from 2014, 2016 and 2018, respectively.

While the girls were in school, Crystal ran a certified daycare center in their home called Tiny Tots for 18 years. In 2017, Crystal made another career shift and began working as a field representative for Fidelis. It was then that her first exposure to Bun Appetit occurred.

Working from her laptop wherever she was, Crystal began meeting and working with her clients over coffee at Bun Appetit. She and Metcalf became friends, and when Metcalf first began to consider her own retirement, she offered to sell the bakery to Crystal in 2019.

“I always had a dream to own a coffee shop,” Crystal said. “But I was comfortable with my job and just felt it wasn’t the right time.”

As it turned out, Fidelis underwent a downsizing of the company in February 2021, and Crystal was laid off, but soon thereafter, Metcalf hired her to work at the bakery. That June, Crystal asked Metcalf if she was still interested in selling the bakery to her, and on Oct. 14, the closing happened, and the Sinclairs took ownership.

“It was 30 years almost to the day when Chad and I met,” Crystal said.

Now, they are fulfilling Crystal’s long-awaited dream with a desire to make Bun Appetit a place that is “simple, local, family-oriented and family-friendly.”

There are currently nine employees working there, including Lynn, who works seven days a week, Chelsey and Christy. Cady lives in North Carolina, but she helps out whenever she comes up to visit.

“We want all our employees and this community to do well,” Chad said. “We want to help and support the community and other Groton businesses in any way possible. It’s not a competition. We’re all one big circle with everyone helping one another.”

Chad also spoke about their desire to promote youth in the community to have a job.

“Kids can get working papers when they’re 14 years old,” Chad said. “And we’d like to hire them and help teach them responsibility and how to contribute to society and have pride in their work. Seeing some of them decorate cookies and seeing the pride in their faces when customers buy them is priceless.”

The hours have changed a bit at Bun Appetit. They are open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, but the separate dining area is available to rent for events and special occasions at any time. Contact them for that or for pick-up catering orders at (607) 898-4162, via the website or on Facebook.

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or text or call Linda at (607) 227-4922.

In brief:  

Santa’s early visit to Groton! 

Santa Claus has been in touch with the Groton Fire Department (GFD) again this year and will be able to squeeze in an early visit to Groton in between his toy-making and reindeer feeding at the North Pole to light the Christmas tree near the C.R. Pavilion on Main Street.

Beginning at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9, the GFD will escort Santa to his sleigh at the pavilion, and he will light the Christmas tree at 7 p.m.

All are welcome to come and see Santa Claus and enjoy cookies, hot cocoa, chili, gifts and music of the season. Special thanks to the Griffin family of Casper’s Diner, Bun Appetit Bakery, Neville Farms, the Groton American Legion Post 800 Auxiliary, the Groton Fire Department, Doug Houck of Leisure Studio, Logan Wannall of Epiq Auto and Christine Personius from Doug’s Trash Removal.

Ridge Runners spaghetti supper 

The Ridge Runners of Groton Snowmobile Club will hold a spaghetti supper from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 11 at its clubhouse, 748 Salt Rd., 1 mile north of Route 90. Meals include all-you-can-eat spaghetti and meatballs, salad bar, dessert bar and beverage.

Cost is $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens and $8 for children ages 5 to 12. Children 4 and under may eat for free. This is a perfect way to enjoy a unique dining experience in a rustic country setting. Take-out dinners are also available.

TST/GHS Student of the Month 

The following Groton High School student was recognized as outstanding student of the month for October at the TST BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center: Isaac Hall, Welding.

These students are chosen based on qualities such as character, leadership, citizenship, work ethic, and attendance, and should be compassionate, honest, trustworthy, responsible and a positive role model.

Congratulations, Isaac!