'This loss is immeasurable for our community'
'This loss is immeasurable for our community'
Western Washington mourns the tragic loss of Howdy Bagel's Jacob Carter
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Jacob Carter and Daniel Blagovich were all smiles.
The Howdy Bagel crew was churning out orders and attempting to satisfy the massive line of people who had shown up at 7 Seas Brewing for one of their highly anticipated pop-ups. This was March 2023 and they hadn’t opened their South Tacoma Way storefront yet, so if you wanted to get your hands on these hyped bagels, you had to get in line.
I spent two hours in line that night hoping to secure an everything bagel before they ran out and I might have been one of the lucky ones. Behind me, the line continued to surge out of the brewery, into the stairwell, and out the front door three hours after they started taking orders. To say nothing of the effort that Carter, Blagovich, and their team put forth to make sure every customer had a memorable experience. Even they couldn’t keep up with demand, however, and items started getting crossed off the menu as the night went on.
By the time I got to the front of the line, I wouldn’t have blamed them for being emotionally drained. Had they been surly when taking my order, probably the 150th of the evening, I would have given them a pass. The pressure, the hype, the demand, the expectations…I can only imagine. When you’ve put your entire life into an idea that you believe in and now it’s time to prove that it’s all been worth it, that kind of thing can grind anyone down, even under the best of circumstances.
Not Carter and Blagovich. At least, not as far as I could tell. I was met with what felt like genuine happiness and excitement. They seemed thrilled to be here and elated to be able to keep churning out bagel sandwiches until they ran out. They’d probably been on their feet for hours but they seemed unaffected, or perhaps beyond tiredness, riding the wave of bliss for another successful evening slinging bagels.
That enthusiasm carried them into their Tacoma storefront where long lines have remained unabated since they opened last May. While curmudgeons like me might have scoffed at the long lines and wait times, it was undeniable that those lines were manifestations of the excitement Howdy Bagel brought to their community. They not only filled a desperate need for good bagels in Tacoma but they also created an LGBTQ-friendly space that welcomed anyone and everyone into the fold. Whether you craved one of their ornate and visually stunning sandwiches or sought a simple bagel with cream cheese, all bases were covered.
It’s a wonderful feeling when a place like Howdy Bagel shows up in your neighborhood. I’ve felt that a few times now since starting this newsletter. A new bagel shop or pop-up appears and you just know this is your jam. You add it to your mental Rolodex and make sure you visit regularly. You start working your way through the menu. You get to know the staff and maybe even the owner. It becomes a part of your life and you realize you’d be heartbroken if it suddenly went away.
Jacob Carter was killed last week while he and Blagovich were vacationing in New Orleans. A senseless act, a moment of happenstance, and Western Washington has found itself heartbroken. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t have a kind thing to say about Carter.
“If you knew Jake, you know he was someone who exuded kindness, warmth, and genuine care to everyone he met,” reads Howdy Bagel’s Instagram post. “Jake was one of the brightest spots in the lives of everyone he loved. This loss is immeasurable for our community.”
Howdy Bagel is closed indefinitely, though the storefront is lined with flowers, candles, and other remembrances from patrons, friends, and members of the community. A GoFundMe campaign has also been created to cover rent, operating expenses, and employee wages while everyone grieves and works through what comes next.
“In an effort to support Daniel and the whole Howdy crew, we are asking that you consider supporting Howdy in two ways. First, take care of one another,” Howdy Bagel’s IG post said. “Showing up with care for one another as we grieve is a way we can honor the love that Jacob put into this world.
“Second, to give Daniel space to grieve without having to worry about the logistics of running a business, we ask that you consider donating to help cover some of the shop costs and employee wages in this difficult season. Daniel and Jacob have been continually blown away and grateful for the ways that this community has rallied together to support Howdy Bagel. We know that in this difficult season, you will all continue to show up with love and support.”
As of the time of this writing, the GoFundMe has raised over $222,000 on a goal of $50,000.
It feels impertinent to wonder about the future of Howdy Bagel at a time like this. It’s a time for grief. What comes after that is unknowable. But whatever happens, one violent act cannot undo all of the positives that Carter and Blagovich have brought to their community. Seeing the way that their community is stepping up and sharing in that grief is proof of that.