Today we’d like to introduce you to Ameira Olayan and Fadia Anani.
Hi Ameira and Fadia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Fadia and I met at a mutual friend’s house for dinner 5 years ago and have been friends ever since. Unbeknownst to either of us, we were both individually dreaming of opening up our own business. In 2019, I (Ameira) mentioned that my dream was to retire from nursing and open up my own coffee shop. Fadia immediately setup a time for us to meet over coffee and discuss our shared dream and ambitions. It was that fateful day that we decided to join forces and turn our dreams into a reality. It took some brainstorming and research to see what the DFW market was lacking, and we decided on BAGELS & COFFEE! We were extremely blessed to meet several mentors along the way and have the opportunity to learn in NY/NJ how to prepare authentic bagels. Now, 4 years later, we are so proud to be serving our community fresh and delicious bagels.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely was not a smooth road. Prior to this, I was a nurse for 16 years and had no baking or business experience. Luckily, Fadia already had an established catering business, and she truly helped to build my confidence along the way. Learning not only how to make a bagel but also how to build and run an entire bagel business felt like going back to college. That’s also how we decided on the name Bagelology… it was literally the study of bagels, and we felt like we earned a degree in Bagels & Business by the end of it. Finding the right team to help us at every step was also challenging. We owe a lot to our families and the individuals who believed in our vision and helped us achieve it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Bagelology?
We opened in July 2022 and about to hit our 1-year mark. We specialize in made-from-scratch bagels, boiled and baked daily the true East Coast way. Our Cheddar Jalapeño and French Toast Bagels have been a huge hit since we opened, and we continue to add new flavors as we grow. We specialize in unique items like our popular Za’atar bagel, Pistachio Blossom cream cheese, and Brisket Bacon. We also take pride in our delicious bagel sandwiches, all made to order-fresh! Not only that, but we also serve specialty coffee that is roasted fresh weekly from a local coffee roaster.
What sets us apart from others is we are a small woman-owned local shop run by 2 mamas with a vision. Our passion is to make Bagelology feel like your home. We would not be here without our amazing community, and want to help everyone that walks through the door begin their day on a happy note with a delicious meal and coffee.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
We have multiple book quotes on the wall of the shop that have inspired us along the way. One of our favorite books, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, has so many pearls of wisdom. One quote perfectly reflects our journey. “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
The journey to get to where we are now was daunting and often frightening. While we were excited about our vision, we had moments of fear and doubt. We both poured our heart into our shop, and it has become a blessing and a treasure not only to us but we hope for our family and community as well. We hope to inspire others to push through the fears and doubt and hold on to their dreams because, in the end, it will be worth it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bagelology.bagels.coffee/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bagelology
- Other: https://orders.hazlnut.com/menu/b/Bagelology/n/1379/p/669/g/241436
