Bagel Brothers Changes Yet Stays the Same

bagel brothers olympia
Bagel Brothers Bakery and Sandwich Shop has remained an Olympia favorite for 20 years.
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bagel brothers olympia
Bagel Brothers Bakery and Sandwich Shop has remained an Olympia favorite for 20 years.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same,” is a French proverb dating back to the mid-1800’s. What it really means is that change, in fact, simply cements the longstanding status quo. Bagel Brothers Bakery and Sandwich Shop is one of Olympia’s treasured eateries that has remained steadfast and true throughout the past twenty years.

20 Years Strong

Since 1994, Bagel Brothers Bakery and Sandwich Shop has been serving delectable eats to South Sound patrons on a non-stop basis. Most folks haven’t even realized that the shop has gone through a pretty major change in the past six months. New owners, Abbie and Jeff Rose, wouldn’t dream of messing around with the original recipes and locally sourced mindset that has made Bagel Brothers so successful.

Same but Different

“Marc Feigen is the founder of Bagel Brothers, and in June it’ll be twenty years since it opened. Marc did a really good job of getting the name out there. Bagel Brothers is everywhere,” exclaims Abbie with enthusiasm. The full bakery services many wholesale clients in addition to numerous coffee stands, Capital Medical Center, Providence Saint Peter’s Hospital, and Olympia School District to name a few. The Roses want to reassure the community that Bagel Brothers will remain the same despite new ownership. “The name, recipes, menu, pricing – it all stays the same. New can be scary, especially when you have something that’s so well established in Olympia. Our plan is to breathe some new life into Bagel Brothers,” she explains.  Adding new wholesale clients and expanding outside of Thurston County are next on the Roses’ to do list.

Locally Fresh

bagel brothers
Jeff and Abbie Rose recently assumed ownership of Bagel Brothers, choosing to maintain the menu options.

The couple is keen to stay true to Feigen’s vision, and that means producing the tastiest fluffiest bagels in town. “Our bagels are preservative free, they’re made with Shepherd’s grain wheat that all comes from small farmers here in Washington. They’re baked fresh every day,” says Jeff.

Abbie interjects, “The bagels sold at your local coffee stand and at our deli are four maybe five hours old at the most.” Bagel Brothers is the first stop of the day for a number of regulars. Abbie says that they have a list of regular customers who come into the deli every morning and get the same bagel every day.

“We have everything from lox on a New York onion bagel to a French Toast bagel with strawberry cream cheese. There’s millions of options, so our bagels appeal to everybody,” says Jeff. “Our bagels have a crunchy crust but are not as chewy and dense, they’re fluffier than a New York style bagel.” They also sell a ton of gluten free bagels and pizzas and many vegetarian options as well.

Employees are the Key

The Roses employ 15-20 employees at the bakery because it runs twenty-four hours a day seven days a week.  Bakers are there all night, delivery drivers are there early in the morning, and the deli opens at 7 a.m.

Abbie says that trust in their employees is what keeps the business running strong, and both Abbie and Jeff emphasize how much their employees mean to them. “Good people with good instincts and a good work environment is like a society. When you have trustworthy employees, new employees are just going to become excellent because everybody else on the team sets a great example.”

Business ownership is a twenty-four hour deal and it suits the Roses just fine. With a toddler at home and a baby on the way, this is one enterprising husband and wife team. Years of management and ownership experience between them have paved the way to their success. “It just makes sense to us,” they say with big smiles. Born and raised in Olympia, the pair is deeply rooted in the community and is enthusiastic about the future.

Local Ties

Bagels are made fresh daily at the West Olympia store.
Bagels are made fresh daily at the West Olympia store.

Bagel Brothers is one of many significant cogs in the machine that is Olympia. It has numerous connections in the community including the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce and Thurston Advertising Group.  Several local farmers pick up bags of day old bagels and other edibles that would otherwise be thrown out. Other community members grab compost materials and coffee grounds that would otherwise be thrown in the garbage. Also day old products occasionally get donated to The Thurston County Food Bank.  “Marc was into being green and recycling and none of our product ever goes to waste.” The Roses are proud to continue Marc’s traditions and are adamant about leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible.

“Locally owned, family operated” is the motto for all of the Roses’ businesses. In addition to Bagel Brothers, they own and operate Paisley’s Café in Capital Mall as well as two Metro locations- one in Capital Mall and one in Downtown Olympia. Change can be good, just ask the regulars at Bagel Brothers Bakery and Sandwich Shop.

Bagel Brothers

www.bagelbrothersonline.com

400 Cooper Point Road SW

Olympia, WA 98502

360-352-3676

 

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