The Central Peninsula’s only bagel shop has a new owner, and some new menu items.
Everything Bagels in Soldotna, located near Beemuns on the Kenai Spur Highway, opened in 2016. It went up for sale last fall, and in December, Craig Schwartz bought the business.
“Honestly, it just seemed like the right thing to do,” he said.
Schwartz isn’t necessarily the most likely owner; he’d only been to Everything Bagels once or twice before buying it, and his background is in construction and education. But he said when he saw the shop for sale, he felt compelled to buy it.
The shop changed hands most recently in Nov. 2022, when founder Pamela Parker sold it to manager-turned owner Abbi Suprick. But the shop was listed for sale in October, and stayed on the market until mid December.
Schwartz said the menu isn’t changing too much, although he has introduced a smoked prime rib sandwich and an array of cakes and cupcakes, thanks to a home baker friend. There’s a rotating group of flavors like Fruity Pebbles, lemon raspberry, maple bacon and Biscoff cookie, and he said there will be seasonal specials for savory offerings too.
“Honestly, it’s been a neat little adventure,” Schwartz said. “Getting a lot of the kinks worked out, and we have a staff that loves to work and is pretty energetic about being here, so watching them develop in their skills…it’s good.”
He said he wants the shop to feel like a local gathering place. And it’s become a gathering place for his family — he co-owns the shop with his wife, who manages their social media, and said six of his 13 children are working behind the counter.
“One of the motivating factors for me personally is I wanted a place I could hang out in town, and the function of the store is one that I just want people to be able to come and grab something to eat and drink and hang out and just enjoy being,” Schwartz said. “And so letting people know that they’re welcome to be here is one of the things I want people to know.”
Everything Bagels celebrated its official grand re-opening on Feb. 7. The shop is now open from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
