North Babylon Bean To Host Ribbon Cutting Next Week

NORTH BABYLON, NY — A beloved Long Island coffee chain will soon celebrate its newest location.

The North Babylon Bean, located at 775 Deer Pk Ave in North Babylon, will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 26, along with the North Babylon Chamber of Commerce at about 10:45 a.m.

Co-owner operator and manager Ryan Schmitt told Patch that from 10 a.m. to noon, the location will set a table outside and provide pastries and coffee "on the house" for participants.

The North Babylon Bean differs from its other four locations because it has a grill and full kitchen.

In addition to its iconic coffee menu, the shop offers not only a hot breakfast menu, but an extensive lunch menu.

They also offer an extensive amount of hot breakfast items, such as French toast and egg sandwiches.

Schmitt told Patch that since the store opened on May 16, he has catered to the community's needs. When he noticed many students hanging out in the afternoon, at the store, he "tripled" the lunch menu, offering quesadillas, hamburgers, chicken tenders, Philly cheese steaks, to mozzarella sticks, grilled cheeses, wraps, sandwiches, and more.

A $5 student special is also available for some items.

Other hot breakfast items, such as pancakes, French toast, omelettes, and egg sandwiches, are also available. One of their most popular items, Schmitt said, is its avocado toast.

"Ever since I’ve opened, my main goals it to find out what the community wants," he said. "Not just on the menu, but in general."

Schmitt previously worked at Babylon Bean with Sal Gervasi, the majority owner Babylon Bean, in 2012 — when only one location existed.

In 2017, he then took a hiatus from coffee to pursue a PhD program in history.

Unfortunately, it wasn't what he expected.

"It wasn't for me," said Schmitt.

When he returned to work at The Bean five years later, Gervasi had opened up its Bay Shore and Sayville locations. He managed the Sayville Bean for six months.

But more was in store for him.

Gervasi was looking to reimagine the Deer Pk Ave location, which had been already been open since 2018.

He asked Schmitt to be co-owner.

Schmitt gladly said yes.

Alongside Gervasi, Schmitt has two other partners in the location: Charlie and Michael Ferrara, long-time owners of Pastosa Ravioli, in North Babylon. This continues a long-time partnership with the Ferrara brothers and Gervasi in the Bean Corporation.

Since opening, many customers have happily compared the store to its previous business, Lane’s Lunchonette.

"My goal is to know all their names," he said, as he opens at 4:30 a.m. each day. "It’s gotten to be almost there."

As someone who grew up a "stone's throw" away from North Babylon in West Islip, Schmitt said the business fills a need in the community.

"Our identity is like a homely town luncheonette," said Schmitt. "We are less like The Bean and more like Lane’s Luncheonette."

Within a year or so, the business hopes to relocate its coffee roaster, to potentially double the seating space in the store.

Gervasi also owned the luncheonette, but made the switch to coffee. But there's value in both, Schmitt said.

"It’s really come full circle," he said.