For the sake of sharing SOME lore, even if not super important, Bagel Oasis actually has a counterpart up in Bellingham, WA called "The Bagelry." The owner of Bagel Oasis and the original owner of The Bagelry (they sold to long-time employees in 2015) are brothers and the recipes they use for their bagels are actually the exact same. The brothers just chose to open their businesses independently and not relate them to each other. I don't know Oasis that well, outside that I've enjoyed their bagels, but I know that the Bagelry's original owner even refused to toast their bagels throughout his ownership (they have a toaster setup now); hell I think they were cash only til after the sale.
But yeah, did not realize how spoiled I was growing up in Bellingham with those bagels til I moved down to Seattle. Nothing I've had in Cap Hill or anywhere Downtown has satisfied me at all.
The story as I heard it is a bit more dramatic than that. As young men the brothers started out as partners with a recipe and a plan to dominate the bagel market in Washington. Unfortunately they're both driven, ambitious, and hard working (former employees use the word 'jerks') and soon had a falling out. Both have gone their separate ways and barely talk. Despite their bagels and menu being basically the same.
(This is old gossip from around 2000 so there may be a part 3-5. Their shops are known for obnoxious service and the best bagels in the PNW. With a couple exceptions.)
I could believe it! I only even knew about the relationship via bits my Dad's told me that he remembers from talking to the owner of the Bagelry a good many times while frequenting there in the 90's, and I'm not surprised the owner wouldn't openly share some of the juicier details with a random customer.
I also grew up in Bellingham (and Ferndale) eating Bagelry bagels and not realizing how blessed I was. Until I moved away to college and learned what the rest of the world calls a bagel. One day I went to Bagel Oasis. Mind blown. Same menu, similar layout, and the owner seemed to be a clone.
I remember my 1st Bagelry bagel, it's a strong childhood memory. It wasn't until I was reading this blog the other day I figured out it was in 1984. Not long after they opened. Since we moved to Ferndale that year. I was 10 years old. It was a weekend, I stayed the night at my best friend's house a block from home.
He had a paper route so we were up long before dawn packing papers. They were the heavy Sunday edition so he was glad to have help. As we packed the papers he told me he was 'On a mission to the Lighthouse Mission'. Throughout our adventure he said the phrase at least a dozen times. It's strange, despite our 'mission' I can't remember what he was picking up there.
He was liked motors, had a few junk lawnmowers he would take apart and repair. It was likely a used part for his hobby. We lived on the letter streets. After we delivered our papers we headed down F street to the Lighthouse Mission near the waterfront on W. Holly. It was fun riding the streets in the dark with no cars and no people. No lights or helmets either.
Anticlimax. It was Sunday, they were closed. Then he told me about this great place called The Bagelry where we could get cheap food. His parents must have taken him there, they were the bread baking bagel eating type. They'd given him money to bring bagels back.
When you're a kid everything seems a long way. Today I could make that walk in 10 minutes but it seemed like we spent all morning pedaling around town. It was barely getting light when we got there. The wonderful smell of bagels baking in the oven is still ingrained in my head. After a host of other stuff has vanished over the years. We got our warm bagels, yum, and rode home. A lot has gone on since then but when I'm in Bellingham I usually find a way to leave with a bag of bagels.
My knowledge of the inner working of The Bagelry comes from my friends that hustled bagels there during their college days. Painted an amusing picture of the owner as a stubborn perfectionist. He could be prickly and rude but he had a plan and wanted his store to run correctly. He cared about his employees, especially once you got to know him, but more so his bagels.
The customers always wanted their bagels toasted. The owner never folded, he told them it would take too long and create lines. I knew the real reason. His bagels didn't need toasting, they were too good. Especially if they were warm. I always pictured him as a young hobo hopping a train out west with a secret ancient bagel recipe sewed into a pant leg.
I have always felt the same way. Originally from Brooklyn, as is the owner of Bagel Oasis I believe; I’ve always enjoyed bagel oasis more than others that purport to be “the best.”
I used to live a few blocks from here and didn't realize how spoiled/blessed I was until I went, well, pretty much anywhere else. One thing I've found over the years is that their sesame bagel is consistently the best - flavor, baking time, etc. I find the everything's to often be far softer - not in a good way. Try the sesame next time with scallion cream cheese. Money.
Hey there! As a New Yorker I respectfully ask that you revisit Bagel Oasis when you get the chance. Went there today and their everything bagel was mediocre by Seattle standards at best (and I was there early this morning), nowhere near as good as your average NY bagel.
You’re not the first person to say this so I think I need to do a third visit and see what the deal is. I think there are some consistency issues that need to be addressed.
Here's a weird detail I found out by talking the owner a few years ago. I mentioned that I really like their cream cheese, asked if they hand mush the flavors in or what. He said they use Pauly cream cheese. Never heard of it. Quick search reveals it's just the stuff you buy at Costco Business. Kinda anti climatic. Still good but...
Thanks for this work you've done and this recommendation. I'm a Chicago, not east coast, transplant, but definitely looking for a bagel to call home. Bagel Oasis was fantastic and you've got me incredibly excited for Mt. Bagel.
I've always loved them, and my friend who grew up in Queens Village swears by them (and wouldn't eat anything but the plain, as he considered anything but plain, sesame, or onion to be for the goyim). I used to stop by their Fremont location (RIP) and got them so fresh out of the oven I burned my mouth on one of them. There also used to be a kosher bakery next door that was one of the few places you could get fresh challah.
For the sake of sharing SOME lore, even if not super important, Bagel Oasis actually has a counterpart up in Bellingham, WA called "The Bagelry." The owner of Bagel Oasis and the original owner of The Bagelry (they sold to long-time employees in 2015) are brothers and the recipes they use for their bagels are actually the exact same. The brothers just chose to open their businesses independently and not relate them to each other. I don't know Oasis that well, outside that I've enjoyed their bagels, but I know that the Bagelry's original owner even refused to toast their bagels throughout his ownership (they have a toaster setup now); hell I think they were cash only til after the sale.
But yeah, did not realize how spoiled I was growing up in Bellingham with those bagels til I moved down to Seattle. Nothing I've had in Cap Hill or anywhere Downtown has satisfied me at all.
Defintely going to head up to B'ham and try out The Bagelry and a couple other places. Fascinating backstory, thanks for sharing!
The story as I heard it is a bit more dramatic than that. As young men the brothers started out as partners with a recipe and a plan to dominate the bagel market in Washington. Unfortunately they're both driven, ambitious, and hard working (former employees use the word 'jerks') and soon had a falling out. Both have gone their separate ways and barely talk. Despite their bagels and menu being basically the same.
(This is old gossip from around 2000 so there may be a part 3-5. Their shops are known for obnoxious service and the best bagels in the PNW. With a couple exceptions.)
I could believe it! I only even knew about the relationship via bits my Dad's told me that he remembers from talking to the owner of the Bagelry a good many times while frequenting there in the 90's, and I'm not surprised the owner wouldn't openly share some of the juicier details with a random customer.
I also grew up in Bellingham (and Ferndale) eating Bagelry bagels and not realizing how blessed I was. Until I moved away to college and learned what the rest of the world calls a bagel. One day I went to Bagel Oasis. Mind blown. Same menu, similar layout, and the owner seemed to be a clone.
I remember my 1st Bagelry bagel, it's a strong childhood memory. It wasn't until I was reading this blog the other day I figured out it was in 1984. Not long after they opened. Since we moved to Ferndale that year. I was 10 years old. It was a weekend, I stayed the night at my best friend's house a block from home.
He had a paper route so we were up long before dawn packing papers. They were the heavy Sunday edition so he was glad to have help. As we packed the papers he told me he was 'On a mission to the Lighthouse Mission'. Throughout our adventure he said the phrase at least a dozen times. It's strange, despite our 'mission' I can't remember what he was picking up there.
He was liked motors, had a few junk lawnmowers he would take apart and repair. It was likely a used part for his hobby. We lived on the letter streets. After we delivered our papers we headed down F street to the Lighthouse Mission near the waterfront on W. Holly. It was fun riding the streets in the dark with no cars and no people. No lights or helmets either.
Anticlimax. It was Sunday, they were closed. Then he told me about this great place called The Bagelry where we could get cheap food. His parents must have taken him there, they were the bread baking bagel eating type. They'd given him money to bring bagels back.
When you're a kid everything seems a long way. Today I could make that walk in 10 minutes but it seemed like we spent all morning pedaling around town. It was barely getting light when we got there. The wonderful smell of bagels baking in the oven is still ingrained in my head. After a host of other stuff has vanished over the years. We got our warm bagels, yum, and rode home. A lot has gone on since then but when I'm in Bellingham I usually find a way to leave with a bag of bagels.
My knowledge of the inner working of The Bagelry comes from my friends that hustled bagels there during their college days. Painted an amusing picture of the owner as a stubborn perfectionist. He could be prickly and rude but he had a plan and wanted his store to run correctly. He cared about his employees, especially once you got to know him, but more so his bagels.
The customers always wanted their bagels toasted. The owner never folded, he told them it would take too long and create lines. I knew the real reason. His bagels didn't need toasting, they were too good. Especially if they were warm. I always pictured him as a young hobo hopping a train out west with a secret ancient bagel recipe sewed into a pant leg.
Amazing, thanks for sharing!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I have always felt the same way. Originally from Brooklyn, as is the owner of Bagel Oasis I believe; I’ve always enjoyed bagel oasis more than others that purport to be “the best.”
I used to live a few blocks from here and didn't realize how spoiled/blessed I was until I went, well, pretty much anywhere else. One thing I've found over the years is that their sesame bagel is consistently the best - flavor, baking time, etc. I find the everything's to often be far softer - not in a good way. Try the sesame next time with scallion cream cheese. Money.
When our synagogue in Olympia has an event (Blintzapalooza, specifically), a volunteer travels all the up to Bagel Oasis to pick up the bagels!
They have excellent farting devil's bagels.
Indeed they do https://itsashanda.substack.com/p/seattle-pumpernickel-bagel-best
Hey there! As a New Yorker I respectfully ask that you revisit Bagel Oasis when you get the chance. Went there today and their everything bagel was mediocre by Seattle standards at best (and I was there early this morning), nowhere near as good as your average NY bagel.
You’re not the first person to say this so I think I need to do a third visit and see what the deal is. I think there are some consistency issues that need to be addressed.
Here's a weird detail I found out by talking the owner a few years ago. I mentioned that I really like their cream cheese, asked if they hand mush the flavors in or what. He said they use Pauly cream cheese. Never heard of it. Quick search reveals it's just the stuff you buy at Costco Business. Kinda anti climatic. Still good but...
https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/pauly-cream-cheese%2c-3-lbs.product.11762920.html
Thanks for this work you've done and this recommendation. I'm a Chicago, not east coast, transplant, but definitely looking for a bagel to call home. Bagel Oasis was fantastic and you've got me incredibly excited for Mt. Bagel.
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned on Mt. Bagel!
I've always loved them, and my friend who grew up in Queens Village swears by them (and wouldn't eat anything but the plain, as he considered anything but plain, sesame, or onion to be for the goyim). I used to stop by their Fremont location (RIP) and got them so fresh out of the oven I burned my mouth on one of them. There also used to be a kosher bakery next door that was one of the few places you could get fresh challah.