We Are Upstate NY with Beth George of Bagel-ish in Beacon NY

Bagels might be serious business in New York, but for Beth George, they’re also a deep source of connection and creativity. What started as a mission to help her son feel and eat better has risen into not just a successful bagel shop, but a successful bagel consultancy career.

After finding her way to a thriving bagel business, Beth realized she had more to offer: knowledge. And lots of it. Now she’s helping aspiring bagel makers — people hungry for a little guidance (and some tips on creating the perfect bagel) – through the process of opening their bagel shops.

Beth isn’t driven by trends or scale: “Nothing I do is about how big it is; it’s about how good it is,” she says. And if you’ve ever tasted one of her bagels, you know that’s true. We sat down with Beth to hear how it all started, where things are going, and how the Hudson Valley became the perfect proving ground for turning good ideas (and great bagels) into something real.

INSIDE+OUT: Where are you originally from, and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

Beth George: It was a circuitous route landing in the Hudson Valley. I grew up in a tiny town in Berkshire County, MA, left when I was 18 and never looked back. After leaving Berkshire County, I lived in Maine, NYC, Bolivia, NH, Maine again, NYC again, and NJ. I picked Beacon because I was looking for a place to open my bagel shop/teaching center, where I could be a business and property owner in a vibrant small city or town on a Main Street, close to NYC, Metro North, and the Metro NYC airports. The goal was to create a hub where people could enjoy our all-natural sourdough bagels, and all-natural menu offerings, while doubling as a training center on “off-days” for my dozens of bagel business clients who travel from across the United States and around the world to train with me. Beacon has indeed checked off all of the boxes.

Tell us about Bagel-ish: What is the meaning behind the name of your shop, and what inspired your love of bagels?

Beth George: Bagel-ish was created in 2023 as a result of a culmination of my two other bagel businesses, one that is still operating, and the other that has closed. The first bagel business, Spelt Right, was an award-winning wholesale bagel and bread brand which we started in Maine, but moved to NYC Metro. Spelt Right sold its all-natural ancient grain frozen bagels and breads to major supermarket chains like Hannaford, Whole Foods, and Fresh Direct, as well as to natural food distributors and kosher markets. We closed in 2015 after the price of ancient grain spiked to the point that it was no longer a viable business model.

In 2013, at the behest of my bagel business mentor, Frank Mauro (1939-2023), Frank and I created BYOB Bagels. Since then, we’ve helped open more than 80 independent bagel enterprises. From 2020-2022, BYOB Bagels was the recipient of an exceptional amount of national and international press, starting on September 22, 2020 with a Great Read of the Day article in the New York Times, entitled “The Cradle of Global Bagel Baking (It’s Not NY)”, which prompted additional press from CBS Sunday Morning, ABC Local-ish, Food 52, Milk Street Kitchen, The London Times, Vera Magazine, Commercial Baking and others.

The name Bagel-ish came as result of talking with another icon in the bagel industry, Claudio Zarate, who owned Empire Bakery Equipment for more than 20 years, and was generously letting me teach my consulting clients at Empire’s test bakery in Long Island while I was building the Bagel-ish facility. Claudio was surprised by the crispy light exterior and chewy light interior. He was thrilled with the taste and texture and suggested I give my bagel a special name. Shortly afterwards, I decided to name the brand Bagel-ish, given that it is not quite a New York, New Jersey or Long Island bagel. It is a lighter, tastier, and more gut-friendly bagel – thus Bagel-ish.

During the summer and fall, Bagel-ish is open Thursday-Sunday to the public, and is closed on Monday – Wednesday, which are reserved for BYOB BAGELS consulting clients. The All-Natural Bagel-ish bagels are based in sourdough, with standard offerings like like Artisan Plain, Sesame, Everything, Poppy Seed, and house-created flavors like Lebanese Za’atar, Portuguese Sea Salt, Aleppo Pepper, House-Pickled Jalapeno with Aged Cheddar, Aged Cheddar, Real Egg, Real Egg Everything, Churro Bagel Sticks and more. We are constantly innovating at Bagel-ish, so we are testing new flavors weekly.

The base is always vegan, unless it has egg or cheese in the bagel.

Bagel-ish bagels are known for the crispy crust, light, yet chewy crumb. Our customers are blown away, and drive for hours to experience our bagels.

Our menu consists of egg souffles, made with local and/or organic eggs, no-nitrate pork belly bacon from Saluma Chicago, no-nitrate turkey bacon, sharp cheddar. Our Lox of Love sandwich and no-nitrate amazingly smooth lox from Samaki Smoked Fish based in the Hudson Valley, along with house-pickled red onions, kumato tomatoes, cucumbers, and house-made balsamic drizzle. We have an array of other sandwiches as well.

The only fats we use are extra virgin olive oil and real butter in our preparation. The only sugars are organic, thus vegan.

Under the umbrella BYOB, Bagel-ish also serves as a training facility for aspiring bagel entrepreneurs. Tell us more about this.

Beth George: Clients come here for three days, and we have an intensive time together. They can come either Monday – Wednesday or Tuesday – Thursday. If they come Tuesday – Thursday, they also get to be up front in the store, learning the POS (point-of- sale) system and watching the sandwich makers (we’re open to the public Thursday – Sunday). I go over numbers to help them learn how to get to the dollar amount they want to make. Once we have the dollar amount established, they learn to build projections with income and expenses in mind. There are metrics, and I provide them with sheets where they can plug in scenarios to help them build their plans.

I show them how I designed my store and how to lay out a store. I have them use my equipment and explain how they can scale their equipment up from there (since my place is smaller). I introduce them to equipment and ingredient companies, help them find their ingredients, and introduce them to my flavors – and they also introduce me to theirs – and then I help with menu development. I even encourage them to come back right before they open for a refresher.

I have clients from all over the place, from different ethnic backgrounds and different countries. I can go to many places and find people I’ve worked with. Many of them have won “best of” awards. I’m not rich from this (yet!) but I get so much joy out of this. I have really good relationships with many of my clients, and I stay in touch with them. I feel like I have family everywhere.

What makes living and working in the Hudson Valley special for you?

Beth George: The Hudson Valley is a little quirky. I was just telling a friend that on Main Street, I can be friendly to everybody, and it doesn’t matter if they are Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, or Jewish – it just shouldn’t matter.

It feels less complicated here in many ways, though it is not a “Utopia”. If I have an issue, I can go to the town. For example, my tree out front was dead. I kept calling the highway department, but finally I just went there and brought them a bunch of bagels and said, “I’m the bagel lady, I have a tree that’s dead,” and they told me I was on the list to have it taken care of. Then one day, I looked up and I had a new tree! Every week, the highway department comes and waters the tree – it’s this ritual now, and this tree is taken care of.

It’s also the proximity to NYC. We’re kind of isolated, but we’re not that isolated. It’s not tough to get here. Since I first left the Berkshires, I’ve chosen to live near a downtown. I like downtowns. I like the fact that I can walk and meet people and have real relationships, no matter how small that relationship might be.

And it’s beautiful. I love bringing clients here to this quaint, quirky downtown that is fairly uncomplicated. They work with me for three solid days, and they often buffer that with extra time. When they’re here, they can be contained in one place where they can’t get into too much trouble and still have a good time!

I’m of Middle Eastern descent, and grew up in a small town in Western Mass where there were only one or two other Arab families that I was aware of. I didn’t have much of an idea about my identity, except what we ate was different (tabouli, hummus, kibbe, stuffed grape leaves) and that we looked a little different. As I started venturing out of my parents’ circles, a lot of people questioned my identity. Here in Beacon, it’s more about who I am rather than what I am. There’s a fairly large North African and Middle Eastern community here. For businesses, there are Palestinian-owned, Lebanese-owned, and Yemeni-owned. It’s provided me with an opportunity to explore my culture and learn more about myself at age 61. I didn’t know that about Beacon. I thought it was just a nice little spot, not thinking it was actually going to be world-altering for me.

If that’s the Hudson Valley, then that’s the Hudson Valley. It’s beautiful and, in a way, more diverse than NYC. In NYC, you have neighborhoods – here, you have everybody, all in this tiny little downtown.

How did you choose Beacon as the location for your shop?

Beth George: After being recognized as one of the world’s most sought-after bagel consultants (thank you, New York Times) I decided that I needed to build my own bagel shop and teaching center. I was looking for a place within an hour of where I currently live (Englewood, NJ), and I stumbled upon Beacon because my daughter got married in Cold Spring in 2022.

After researching at least a half dozen properties, I landed on 226 Main St. in Beacon, NY. I purchased the commercial condo on August 10, 2023, just one week after my 60th birthday. It was a reason for much celebration. Sadly, Frank, who’d encouraged me to become a bagel consultant and believed in me 100%, passed away suddenly in November 2023, so my start with Bagel-ish was with a lot of mixed emotions.

What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of running your business?

Beth George: The challenging part is staying above water and having the metrics down. I know the metrics for making money, but actually executing them, that’s a challenge. The biggest hurdles are labor, because you have to find people who care not as much as you do but understand how much you care.

I can’t expect any one of my employees to throw themselves into this as much as I have. If I have to do an overnight because something got messed up, it’s not going to be someone else who takes care of it – it’s going to be me. I would never put my staff in that position, but they have to understand that I’m in that position often. I have a good crew, and, there’s always one thing that can upset the apple cart.

Challenges can also be the regulations on small businesses in New York. When they impose these picayune requirements on very small businesses, it can be devastating.

The beautiful side – first, I really care about the product I make and sell, and I’m very careful about trying to provide products that are not just your standard industrialized products. I love that I’ve created a product that people love, that it’s represented worldwide through my clients, and that I’m helping people worldwide build successful loved enterprises.

I also love the fact that I have young employees who are inspired by what I do, and I think that’s making a difference in how they approach the world as they go forward. That’s not just the entrepreneurial piece, but also the mission side about how we can feed people better.

I love that one of my employees is 61, like I am, and Lebanese, and that we have constructive conversations over hummus!

I love the people who walk in—the ones I get to know on the street. I love that I can stand out front and, on a weekday especially, and 50% of the people who walk by will be people I know. And for the people I don’t know (but that I’ll get to know,) I love to ask where they’re from and what they do. I do that because it’s interesting, but also because we have so many bagel shops all over the world, so I want to know if they’re near one – and often, they are. I let them know that, and they get excited.

I like my business neighbors a lot. We keep the peace with each other, even if we’re competitors. I’d run out of salt once, and I went to another bakery. Technically, we’re competitors, but I asked for salt, and they gave it to me. One time, they came to me, and I did the same. That’s what we want, all these boats floating – we don’t want anyone sinking.

What is one question you’re constantly asked, or the biggest misconception about your business?

Beth George: Well, the bagel question – “It’s always the water, isn’t it?” It’s not. It is everything. I say this about bagels: everything is everything. It’s the ingredients, the water, the process, the timing, the equipment, the person who’s making it – are you caring about what you’re doing? There’s a misconception that there’s only one thing about a bagel that makes it better.

A second misconception is that NYC is the only place that makes really good bagels.

What’s your favorite bagel?

Beth George: My favorite bagel last week was a rosemary bagel with labneh, avocado, tomato, and cucumber. I took it out of the freezer, let it thaw, and I toasted it so it was super crispy on the outside and had a light chew on the inside. Then I added the creamy labneh, a nice, ripe avocado, tomato, and cucumber, with a little olive oil and salt and pepper, and it was heaven.

What impact does your business have on your community?

Beth George: I’ve always been this way, but everyone is on a level playing field with me. People don’t get to the front of the line with me – that’s not an insult, it’s just that everybody is treated with the same dignity.

There is a lot of love in our place, and that can throw people off a bit. I’m outgoing, and I’ve always been talkative and curious. When I go and meet other business owners, I spend time with them, and they tell me, “We really appreciate you in this town, you’re out there talking to people, you’re generous.”

I care about what I do. People use the term passion, but it’s just who I am, and I can’t contain it. Sometimes I have to shut the door after hours to not let people in because I could talk to them all night. I love the customers. I love sharing with them, and I love that they share with me and with the place. And it’s not just me, it’s the place.

The team I have is very interactive with the public. I like the fact that they’re feeling something. The teens I work with are learning, and they’re talking about the product. These kids are bringing their parents to the shop, so when I meet their parents and their grandparents, I know that I’ve made an impact.

I donate whenever I can to Beacon’s Backyard, which is a breakfast program. It’s also an event space, an activist space, and a farm. They have a gluten-free bakery in a box truck. And, we help each other. My oven was down, and the owner, Jason, came to help. I asked what I owed him, and he told me, “No, we’re neighbors, I’m just going to help you.” Then a kind of funny thing happened – he was looking at my equipment and said he wished he had a 20-quart mixer. And it happened that I had an extra 20-quart mixer, so I gave it to him. It’s just that, goodwill. What are the chances I would have an extra 20-quart mixer and that he would say that to me? That’s Beacon.

I give back by actually giving food. There’s an organization called Fareground, where you can donate food, and they offer free meals every Friday night. I also bring food to the shopkeepers. Not everyone realizes that shopkeepers are often stuck in their stores, and I like to be able to offer food to those who are working hard and can’t get out of their shops. Thursdays are also 10% off for anyone in the Hudson Valley.

We have to help each other. I feel like the only thing we have is us. Sometimes the littlest gestures are the ones that are remembered the most. I do not make these gestures to have people remember me; I do it because I don’t know how not to.

What local businesses do you rely on to be successful?

Beth George: Key Food is a small family-owned grocery store I rely on. I don’t shop there for all of my stuff, but definitely for certain items, especially when I run out: avocados, scallions, cheese, bleach, seltzer, I go there. The other day, I was out of jalapenos and bleach. Key Foods opens at 7 am. I got there at 6:55am, and Alex, (Abdallah) one of the owners, let me in. When I was ready to pay, he said, “No, no, just take the bleach and take the jalapenos – we’re neighbors.” How does that make you feel, right?

Beacon Natural Market. Kitty the owner helped me out in a pinch when I ran out of eggs. Now, she is supplying me weekly with organic eggs.

There’s a place called Another Door. It’s mostly resale clothing. There are times when I’ve trashed my clothing, or left my clothing in New Jersey, and Andrea, the owner, is always there to help me.

Local Love: What local business should we know about?

Beth George: In Beacon, there’s Carter’s restaurant – John, the owner, creates all of the recipes. The food is really good there.

Melzingah Tap House has a nice lunch, brunch and dinner menu. It was the first place I visited when I was thinking of buying in Beacon. Matt, the lead bartender, was one of the first people I met. They now serve my bagels for their brunch, and have been a go-to place since I first started visiting Beacon.

If you are looking for gluten-free, it’s Kitchen & Coffee.

There’s Binnacle Books – Laura, the owner is a true peace activist, and that’s what her books are about.

Noble Pies is also a lovely place to visit. They have sweet and savory pies, and a few other items. I love the coffee and the pies, and just like to sit in the back and chill sometimes.

What is missing in the area that you wish we had?

Beth George: Costco! I can get organic sugar, organic jellies and jams, organic eggs, really good jalapenos, all-natural canned and bottled soft drinks, and good produce.

I like shopping small, but there are certain products I can’t get distributors to carry because they’re very expensive. For example, Trader Joe’s has specific tomatoes that I can only get there. But I’m very selective about what I purchase there. The problem is I’m a very small shop, so I don’t order enough for some distributors. I never thought I would shop at box stores, but they do have some things I need.

I miss access to certain ingredients, so I go to Turkish and Middle Eastern stores. Once a week or every two weeks, I do a run to New Jersey to get ethnic ingredients that I can’t get here.

I’d like to get someone to build me a shelf for dry goods and the items I buy for myself. Tahini, za’atar, other spices, and certain things that I just can’t get in this area – I’m going to buy them in larger amounts and put them for sale so that other people who want them can get them.

Who or what inspires you personally?

Beth George: I watch videos on activists, and I’m inspired by them. I’m not as brave sometimes to stand up and say as much as I want to say.

I am inspired by teaching people and feeding people. The whole BYOB Bagels idea is a self-determination concept – Be Your Own Boss bagels. It’s about staying small but making money. It’s playing into capitalism to some degree, but not having extreme capitalism be the end goal. Can we grow big without destroying ourselves and others? I’m so inspired by creating this new model that I’ve been working on.

It’s tricky because I’ve been approached about franchising Bagel-ish, but I’ve said no because I can anticipate what the ultimate outcome will be. But, you never know what the future will bring.

I’m teaching people to build models where they can grow their businesses. I’m teaching them how to create a concept where they can own six or seven stores that have a high-quality product where they’re doing very well themselves, but they’re also giving back to the community, not necessarily with money but with a product and a concept that helps their communities, so I’m inspired by that.

My contracts permit for my clients to franchise their own brands. If they do, there are clauses in the contracts where I would receive limited benefits.

I’m inspired that I have helped approximately 50 additional bagel enterprises opened since the New York Times article was published in September 2020. That’s kind of big – I’m pretty small. I can do this by enabling people and teaching them.

I’m inspired that I have actually learned something from raising my children that I can bring to a larger audience.

I’m inspired by my kids, watching them as young adults take on the world in a way that I don’t see a lot of people in their age group doing. My oldest daughter is a manager for the International Rescue Committee, working to bring education to refugee camps. My son has always had an evolved sense of the world. It’s not so much the work that he does, but that he’s doing that work. He’s working in an environmental engineering firm on sustainability options for buildings. My youngest just graduated with a Master’s in Public Health from Columbia and is working at NYU.

I’m also inspired by my cat – you should see her, she’s so cute and she’s always close by me.

Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to know.

Beth George: I tell everybody almost everything, so I don’t know if anything is surprising. Maybe that I’m married to Tim! When people see us together, they’re shocked. He’s so calm. He’s very erudite. He wears a tie and is very staid-looking. I come out with a dress that looks like a painting and wearing sneakers. I never match – I don’t even have socks that match! When people see us together, they think, “This is not going to work,” but we’re in our 38th year together. He’s very put together, but I take him out of his comfort zone.

What do you do for fun? What are some of your favorite ways to unwind and unplug when you are not working?

Beth George: I love walking in NYC. I love to meet friends in NYC. I love uptown, up in the Cloisters. I love wandering from 134th Street and up. There are so many cool things to see.

I love meeting up with old friends from college. Now that I’m near NYC, I get to see more people because they come through.

I also love to travel. My favorite place right now is Portugal. The streets are artwork, they’re a mosaic. It’s just beautiful. My next bagel shop move would be there. I think I have to prove myself here, and then I can go to Portugal.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Beth George: To fly! I have had so many dreams where I can hover and fly. I had my first flying dreams when my parents owned an Olympic-sized swimming pool as their business. I would have dreams where I would dive off the little diving board and just fly over the pool and keep flying over the trees. Then the dreams started happening again when I was in NYC, but I was just hovering. It must be something I want to do.

What is your current state of mind?

Beth George: It’s a mix of being exhilarated, inspired in some ways, exhausted, horrified, really sad, and angry by what’s happening in the world – so it’s a bunch of compartmentalized stuff.

If you are thinking and you have emotions, I don’t think you can ignore what’s going on. Then again, if you are a person who loves life and is a creator – and I’m a creator and a maker and a doer – then I do those things.

Getting up early and being isolated in the bakery with the dough is almost a religious experience. We are managing this moment together. It’s hot in the bakery, and the dough is rising. If I miss a cue, there’s a lot that could go wrong. There’s a synergy – the dough is alive and so am I, but just in different ways (I’m just going to bake it and eat it!)

When I’m alone, I become extremely efficient. It’s kind of a superpower – there’s that superpower you were talking about! There’s so much happening all the time, and it’s distracting and it’s very hard. I’m not boasting or bragging, but sometimes I feel the fact that I can do so many different things and somehow pull it off is kind of a superpower.

Photos courtesy of Beth George

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