St. Louis’ newest bagel shop is now open. Bagels and Bliss at 8151 Delmar Blvd. in University City, is now selling a variety of freshly baked kosher bagels. Co-owners Giti Fredman and William Goldmeier described it as a “soft opening” to work out any kinks.
The shop, announced last December, plans to be open from 7 a.m. Sunday through Friday. (It will not be open for Purim on Friday, March 14.) Currently, opening is as early as 7 a.m., but, said Goldmeier, “We’re trying to get more precise with our opening time. It’s best to check in around 8:30.”
Bagels and Bliss is now offering plain, salt, sesame, garlic, onion, poppyseed and everything bagels for $2 each. Tuna, lox, whitefish salad and egg salad are also available. All food is certified kosher. The Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis monitors the kitchen, according to Rabbi Zvi Zuravin, executive director.
“We have an inspector who will come in there to make sure everything is 100% kosher,” Zuravin said.
At noon on Monday, March 10, a steady stream of customers entered the shop. Some were repeat customers, always a good sign for a new business. One first-time customer, Yehuda Romanoff, said he was eager to try out the product and that “This has been needed here for a long time.”
Bagels and Bliss bagels are large, golden brown and have a chewiness that closely resemble classic New York bagels. The early demand has already increased the shop’s daily output, Goldmeier said.
“We started out with 250 a day and realized we were selling out in hours, so now we’re up to about 500,” he said, adding that early feedback has been very positive. “Really great—fantastic. We couldn’t ask for better reception. People really like the bagels.”
