Haddonfield's Bread Board Plus Shifts Focus To Remain Sustainable

HADDONFIELD, NJ — Like many small business owners trying to keep afloat during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Jason Wiseley realized his popular Haddonfield sandwich shop was going to have to adjust to the current reality if he wanted to remain sustainable.

Wiseley, who has operated The Bread Board Plus since 2006, knew that while a business that has served Haddonfield for 35 years had a loyal following, his approach needed to change. After moving next door at 605 N. Haddon Ave, and completely renovating the space to make it clean and sleek, Wiseley has geared the shop to more takeout and delivery.

Wiseley wrote in an email to Patch Friday that he made the decision to pivot his business model early on in the pandemic last year. Bread Board Plus was one of the final remaining eateries to offer a full salad bar and self-serve soup station, which Wiseley said, contributed in a large way to him covering his monthly rent. But outside of a steady lunch business, the restaurant's business main business was already tied to takeout and delivery service.

The move next door is geared toward enhancing that aspect of serving customers, Wiseley said.

A new kitchen has streamlined the operation, Wiseley said, and has put more of an emphasis on catering and to-go orders – both of which were needed due to restrictions associated with the ongoing pandemic. The space also includes new self-service kiosks for customers who are placing to-go orders. To accommodate customers who prefer contactless delivery or curbside pickup, the shop has added an online ordering option to its website to help keep the customer service experience and safe as possible.

“The writing was on the wall,” Wiseley said in a news release outlining the changes. “The days of self-serve salad bars and soup stations were over. We took a hard look at every part of our operation, ultimately determining that we needed to make some changes.”

Like many restaurant owners, Wiseley struggled with paying his staff and was forced to cut hours due to the hit his business took because of the pandemic. But after dealing with the initial obstacles, Wiseley said the focus again shifted to deal with new issues including the best way to prepare for daily unknowns, how much food to prepare and how to best staff the sandwich shop as the pandemic continued.

"There was no routine and no playbook for how to prepare," Wiseley wrote in the email Friday.

Now, with a new location and a sharpened focus, Wiseley hopes to build toward long-term success. Best known for its sliced-to-order sub sandwiches, the Bread Board remains dedicated to providing the same quality of food customers have come to expect, Wiseley said. With delivery and corporate catering services to Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia, Wiseley said while some of the changes were necessary to adjust to COVID-19 restrictions, he said he is doing what is needed to maintain the tradition of service he has built since taking over 14 years ago.

“Our long history in our former location does make the pivot a bit bittersweet, but we’re proud of what we’ve built, and we hope that our community will be too,” Wiseley said. Aside from the new digs and a slight shift in our model, the friendly faces, the menu, and our commitment to quality and service will all remain the same.”