Sixth Borough Bagels setting up shop in Olympia
Sixth Borough Bagels setting up shop in Olympia
“I'm perpetually, but pleasantly, surprised at how much enthusiasm there is for the bagels."
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The New Yorker’s Hannah Goldfield recently asked if we’re in the midst of a bagel renaissance. One need only look around Western Washington to know the answer is undoubtedly yes.
In a few short years, Seattle’s bagel scene has boomed. Many bakers’ perceived dearth of local options, coupled with the pandemic, helped create a thriving community full of local chains, farmers’ market stands, pop-ups, and new shops.
This boom extends beyond Seattle as it seems every Western Washington city has at least one or two bagel shops it can hang its hat on. Tacoma has Howdy Bagel. Bellingham has The Bagelry and Otherside Bagel. Anacortes has Good Bagels Cafe. Edmonds has The Cottage Bakery.
But what about Olympia? While I’d heard of a few bagel purveyors making the rounds in the state capital, there hasn’t been a dedicated shop since 2017 when Bagel Brother closed.
That will “hopefully” change in June when Sixth Borough Bagels opens its doors at 1617 Harrison Avenue on Olympia’s west side.
I chatted with owner Kyle Shorin earlier this week to find out what brought him to the bagel business and what people can expect when the store opens (Full interview available for paid subscribers).
“I grew up here in Olympia, although I do have a lot of family over in New York, so I've been over to visit a handful of times,” said Shorin. “We do the New York bagel, so I try to pay the respects.”
Like many other locals who have opened similar businesses in recent years, the pandemic set in motion a series of events that led Shorin to give up his day job and put all of his focus on the humble bagel.
“I knew a woman, a family friend who had been a baker for some time. She was constantly overworked and spread too thin, not sleeping enough. And I said, ‘By God, that's the life for me,’” he joked. “In seriousness, I've had a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast for a decade. We used to have a couple of shops around here, but there really isn't a dedicated place to get one in town. I was talking to this baker who taught me some things, and I said, ‘You know what? I'll just see if I can do it myself.’
Shorin started small, renting space in a small commissary kitchen and selling bagels out of a few shops and co-ops in town. Eventually, he purchased some equipment to make the process easier and found a silent business partner to help make the shop a reality.
A big part of the reason Sixth Borough has been able to move so quickly has been its loyal customer base and fervent fans who spread the word in Olympia and beyond.
“People have been very receptive,” said Shorin. “It's always flattering to get praise from the East Coasters. When I talk to somebody and they say, ‘Oh, I've lived in New Jersey, and I haven't been able to get a good bagel out here for such and such years, and I really like yours,’ that is a sign that I'm doing something right, I suppose.”
A big part of the reason Shorin’s bagels have East Coast appeal is that he tries to emulate that iconic but simple New York style.
“I'm doing it as old-fashioned as I can,” he said. “It's just water, salt, malt, and flour. I do a long overnight proof and boil them and bake them.”
Barring any kind of surprises or issues, Sixth Borough Bagels expects to be open “in the first half of June.” Shorin says they’ll keep the menu “small-ish” to start with “six or seven bagels” and a handful of schmear options. While he’s planning to rotate flavors and options over time they’ll “start simple and then see what we can do to grow.”
The impending arrival of Sixth Borough is a boon for Olympia bagel lovers. And while he’s excited to provide the community with a dedicated bagel shop, it’s not lost on him how that community has and will continue to play a role in its success.
“I am very grateful to everyone who helped me get off the ground and running,” said Shorin. “I'm perpetually, but pleasantly, surprised at how much enthusiasm there is for the bagels, and I hope I'll be able to keep meeting everyone's standards. I look forward to seeing my customers again, and meeting new ones, when the shop opens.”
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