THE YEAR OF THE BAGEL IS UPON US! THE BAGEL SHOP JOINS SOMA NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS LINE-UP.

01/03/2023

Myles Roberson

myles@thebagel.shop

 

After six months of operating as a pop-up shop, The Bagel Shop owners Myles Roberson & Trevor Papsadora have secured a location in SOMA to open Little Rock’s only bagel shop. Roberson and Papsadora, who was raised in Maine, moved to Roberson’s home city of Little Rock in 2020 not knowing the covid pandemic lurked around the corner. The two have worked alongside award winning chefs at world class restaurants throughout Portland, Maine. 

 

What began in July 2022 as a farmers market pop-up bagel operation quickly grew into what The Arkansas Times dubbed a summer of ‘BAGELMANIA.’The pop-up model plunged The Bagel Shop headlong into a tour of Little Rock neighborhoods, with bagel enthusiasts forming long lines during the heat of the summer to get their hands on fresh, from scratch bagels. After a few months, when the lines simmered down and the bagel boys found their rhythm, they began to offer not just scratch made bagels & cream cheese, but a slew of beverages, sandwich specials, and delicious pastries. A key partnership with Stones Throw Brewing allowed the burgeoning business to develop repeat customers and build a foundation of great customer relationships. 

 

The Bagel Shop will be located at 1501 South Main Street in Little Rock Arkansas. The two hope to open in early summer and plan on serving breakfast and lunch 5 days a week, Thursday through Monday, from 8 AM until 3 PM. “Work-life balance is one of our guiding principles and we’ll strive to achieve that for ourselves and our team.” Roberson said. “That’s how we landed on being open for 5 days a week instead of the more common 6 or 7 days a week. Plus this gives us a chance to really hammer out the details of service with opportunities to adjust course where needed. As we fill out our team we’d like to open 6 days a week.” 

 

In addition to traditional deli offerings; bagels, schmears, smoked fish, sandwiches, soups, and other daily specials… The pair hopes to offer a large selection of pastries, cakes, and other fun specialty foods. “One of my strengths is that I don’t take myself too seriously. I’ve been able to have a lot of fun creating the recipes and sharing them with our customers and our followers on instagram. I’ve been able to reach back to memories of my childhood in Maine and share some of that with the community here in Little Rock.” said Papsadora. Papsadora grew up baking Whoopie Pies, the Maine State dessert, and was missing them this fall. When advertised as the daily special, they sold out in minutes. “The intersection of nostalgia and good, modern food is what inspires me and the menus I write.” Trevor added. 

 

Myles and Trevor are both excited to be a part of the SOMA neighborhood, with its classic Southern architecture and charm.  “We love this neighborhood, we love the businesses here and are excited for all the growth happening on this street. We’ve dreamed of opening a restaurant for a long time and this feels like the right place at the right time!” Myles said.  

 

The Bagel Shop currently operates out of a commissary kitchen and sells bagels for pre-order & pick-up in the parking lot of their soon-to-be bagel shop location, they also offer a range of catering services. The Bagel Shop has been in operation since July 1st of 2022. Check out their website at www.thebagel.shop for links to everything you need to know. Instagram is their main social media platform and you can find them at www.instagram.com/thebagel.shop

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