27-01-2025
A Taste of Vermont arrives in Canton
Jan. 26—CANTON — Robert Gladding, an Ogdensburg native with 25 years of experience working and running restaurants and delis in Vermont, has returned to St. Lawrence County to offer a taste of Vermont.
Miranda's Cafe, A Taste of Vermont, is located on Main Street, where Wimpy's Inn most recently operated. It appears to have been an immediate success.
The deli, which focuses on sandwiches made with Vermont-sourced ingredients like maple syrup, cheddar cheese and homemade maple mustard, has been overwhelmed by demand. Gladding said he's been making 215 sandwiches in less than five hours since opening day, sold out one of his signature dishes, shepherd's pie.
Gladding said since it was his first business in New York, his bank had him work with the Small Business Development Center at SUNY Canton to secure financing and develop financial projections.
"(SBDC Business Advisor) Michelle Collins is wonderful," Gladding said. She's amazing. She really is. She's a great person. She listened to everything I said. We made up first, second, and third-year projections, and it seems like I'm well over projections three times."
Gladding also had to navigate finding the right location, initially looking at spaces in Messena before settling on the current Canton location.
Gladding said his initial success his due to offering something unavailable in Canton.
There are plenty of pizza places, he said, but no one who emphasizes quality sandwiches.
"I'm a little bit different. I make my own 1,000 Island dressing. I make my own maple mustard dressing. I make a lot of in-house stuff," He said.
Gladding has about two dozen sandwiches on his menu, mostly sold for about $11. Some sandwiches are named after his wife and three children, who all help out in the deli.
There's the Miranda, pastrami with melted Swiss cheese, house-made cole slaw and 1,000 Island dressing served on grilled rye bread and the Livy Lou, ham, melted Swiss cheese and honey mustard served on grilled rye bread.
He said the Miranda, named for his wife, is his best-selling sandwich.
Gladding said he plans to buy the building in the coming months and plans to convert the second floor into housing.
"Canton has been very accepting, very amazing to us, I'm truly blessed to be here," Gladding said.
The restaurant is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday and from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
For more information, call 315-714-1577.
