The Chicagoist will be launching later but in the meantime please enjoy our archives.

Chicago Bagel Authority Recovers From Fire

By Anthony Todd in Food on Jul 9, 2013 4:20PM

2013_7_9_chicagobagelauthority.jpg
The view inside Chicago Bagel Authority's Armitage Avenue storefront. The Belmont location has re-opened after suffering fire damage caused by a business located above it. (Photo credit: Gary Eckstein)

Finally, those sad signs we've all been watching from the platform of the Belmont "L" stop can disappear. Chicago Bagel Authority, which caught fire last September and had an unexpectedly long renovation, reopened on Monday. A tanning bed fire in a business located above CBA was the beginning of the conflagration that destroyed our bagels.

DNA Chicago reports that the process took significantly longer than expected because of both business and construction problems.

"[CBA was] first expected to be back in business by December, and then by March. But insurance complications and repair of the building's smoke damage delayed its return by nearly 10 months."

The takeaway lesson? Tanning beds are evil.

Chicago Bagel Authority is at 955 W. Belmont