COLORADO SPRINGS — Wednesday is national small business day. In honor of this celebration of local flare, News5 is highlighting the efforts of incredible owners.
Bella's Bagels opened in Colorado Springs in April of 2023. Since opening, the business has sold more than 1,500 bagels on weekends. The story of the shop, however, dates back to the owners', Jason and Michelle Stele, childhoods.
The pair said they have had a love for New York-style bagels for several years. For Jason, these homemade bagels remind him of his childhood and visits to local bagel shops with his grandfather.
Despite being open for a short period of time, Bella’s Bagels has been gaining recognition from locals who missed the taste of an east coast bagel.
“It’s been really exciting. Day after day, I have people coming in that are typical transplants from the east coast, the west coast, [most are probably from] New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, [and] Pennsylvania areas [who] love to tell the story of how our bagels make them feel like they are home again,” said Jason.
Prior to opening their bakery, Jason and Michelle worked in the computer industry, solving technical problems for several years. Ready for a change after dealing with the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pair started selling their bagels at local farmer’s markets. After several sales, they wanted a brick-and-mortar store.
“We live in crazy times, and this is one way that we can, kind of, make a dent in our little part of the universe — by providing amazing bagels that are very unique to this area," said Jason.
The owners said the biggest challenge the shop has faced is hiring people. They open at 6 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends, but employees need to head to work earlier to make the bagels from scratch.
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