10-02-2025
Bexley bagel shop to close after founder's death and nearly 60 years in business
BEXLEY, Ohio (WCMH) — A longtime central Ohio kosher bagel shop announced it is closing its Bexley store after nearly 60 years in business.
Block's Hot Bagels said Sunday that its McNaughten Road location will 'pause operations indefinitely' on March 2. This comes after Harold Block, who founded Block's Bagels in 1967, died in early January.
'This challenging decision comes as the family takes time to reflect and grieve, while also recognizing that with no other Block family members actively involved in the business and the bakery's lease coming to an end, this was a natural moment for transition,' Block's Bagels said in a statement. 'The Block family is incredibly grateful for the love and support we've received during this time and over nearly sixty years of serving this community.'
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While the Bexley store is set to close, the operators said they plan on continuing to 'explore ways' to continue baking kosher bagels in Columbus in the future.
The store dealt with a legal dispute that began in 2022 when Block's sued Jeremy Fox, former Block's business partner and owner of Fox's Bagel & Deli, for rebranding two Block's locations he operated, renaming them Fox's Bagel & Deli. Initially, Block's sued for $1.3 million in damages, and Fox countered with $9,791 in unpaid goods.
After a near three-year legal battle, a settlement was reached in late January. Both parties agreed to Fox paying $9,791 in unpaid goods and a $290,000 unsecured claim. The settlement is pending approval in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, as Fox filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2023 for the FRG company, moving the case out of civil court.
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