NEW Business: Bajgiel Hosting Pop-Up Bagel Event

Have you heard? …

Ellwood City is now the home of some off-the-charts homemade bagels and you can have them tomorrow morning!

Bajgiel is serving up delicious dough with scrumptious schmears.

Wondering why it’s called Bajgiel? Owner Kristen Velez said bagels originated in Poland and they wanted to keep their Polish roots alive, so they chose the polish spelling for the name. She added it’s OK to just say Bagel.

Although a brick-and-mortar bagel shop is still in the works, Bajgiel is starting out by hosting some pop up bagel events where you can stop by, learn more about all the tasty bagels, sandwiches, and schmears and then make the very tough decision of which one you want to order (maybe just get one of each and make it easy).

The first “Pop-up Bagel Breakfast” will be held tomorrow at Revive, 304 Sims St, in Ellwood City from 8 a.m. to noon.

Velez, who lives in the Ellwood City area with her husband and two daughters, works as a nail tech at Revive. She has been doing nails for six years now but has always loved a good bagel shop.

“My husband and I started to become disappointed that there wasn’t a dedicated place in Ellwood City to get a good bagel, so we started making them and our family and friends loved them,” she said.

And the options really are endless and food sensitivity friendly.

“We are inclusive. There are gluten free bagels and dairy free schmear.”

Each pop-up event will feature menus exclusive to the pop-up location. Saturday’s event will feature five bagel choices: Plain, Everything, Hot Honey Goat Cheese, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Gluten Free. The schmears range from Plain, Lavender, Maple, Olive & Feta, to Dairy Free Lemon Dill.

I know what you are thinking … too hard to pick. Do you go with Sweet Potato Casserole topped with luxurious and seasonably appropriate Maple Schmear? Or do you try something savory like Hot Honey Goat Cheese with the Olive & Feta Schmear? Good luck deciding.

If those options aren’t hard enough to choose between, you can also get sandwiches with choice of meat and cheese and a fried egg. Those that don’t eat meat can go for “The Veg” with yummy vegetable toppings.

Velez said inspiration for bagel flavors can come from many places. Sweet Potato Casserole Bagel is a favorite among family and friends.

“I just came up with it off the top of my head. It was inspired by my mom’s sweet potato casserole.”

After attending the pop-up event at Revive, be sure to come back for more at Bajgiel’s other events: “Bark for Bagels” Wednesday, November 15 at Happy Tails Pet Hotel & Daycare, 212 Portersville Road, from 7 a.m. to noon; and “Board Games and Bagels” on Saturday November 18 at Sidetracks Board Game Club, 205 5th Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

And Velez is looking forward to opening her brick-and-mortar location in Ellwood City. The plan is to have counter service and limited seating for breakfast and lunch options.

“We are excited to bring something that we don’t have in the city and love the thought of growing Ellwood City even more.”

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