By Mark Woolsey

There’s a new entry on the bagel front in Acworth, and its name might make you blink.

Co-owner Valee Desai says their store, dubbed Jeff’s Bagel Run, originated with founder Jeff Perera and his wife.

After a layoff in 2019 and missing the New York bagels they craved after relocating south, the Pereras tinkered with and perfected a recipe in their kitchen. Friends, neighbors, and others soon clamoring for them, which resulted in his making a daily bagel run, yes, bagel run, delivering to spots in his part of Orlando, Florida. A brick-and-mortar location followed in 2021.

Enter businessman Justin Wetherill, who bought the business and began franchising. Valee and her hubby had prior retail connections with Wetherill. Impressed by the product, they snapped up a franchise.

Desai and her general manager headed to Florida to, as Desai puts it, “ get engrossed in all things bagel.” It is worth noting that Desai had no restaurant experience. Her background covered franchise owner of a small electronics repair shop and corporate marketing and brand development. Rolling dough was not on the menu, so to speak.

Back home and having signed a franchise deal, found and prepped a physical location and hired and trained staff, they held their grand opening on Dec. 6.

They picked a busy spot at U.S. 41 and Acworth Due West Road. Desai says that from the first day,” the community has welcomed us with open arms.”

They offer 14 bagels and a bagel of the day, plus an array of house-made cream cheeses, butter, sweet treats, and coffee. Their specialty bread ranges from plain to everything bagels, along with variations such as jalapeno cheddar, cinnamon sugar, and cookies and cream.

“All of our bagels are boiled and baked throughout the morning,” says Desai.’” Once we run out of bagels-and this is why we tell people not to sleep in-once we run out of a bagel it’s gone for the day. “

Desai says they also alert customers that they don’t toast their product.

“It’s s high-quality bagel,” says Desai by way of explanation. “It has that crunch on the outside and soft on the inside. A lot of our customers have been like ‘what, that’s so weird.’”

“I tell them I completely understand and to just give it a try. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.” And she says, generally, they are.

The couple’s moving into a booming bagel and deli scene. A quick online check showed nearly a dozen spots in Acworth and surrounding communities that put bagels at center stage, plus the Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts of the world, which offer them as one of many alternatives.

And not far away is Art’s Bagels and More, a mainstay in the Acworth community since the 1990s, with its own bagels and sides.

Desai is confident her fledgling location can navigate its way among the competition.

“We are a scratch bakery,” she says. “We focus on what we do best.”

And among the things they’re doing is exploring community partnerships, including one where high school students would try their hand in the store in exchange for course credit. They’re also working out an agreement with the nonprofit Bagel Rescue, which takes leftovers and delivers them to food panties, shelters and feeding programs.

Desai and her crew have gotten high marks on social media both for their creative and tasty bagels and friendly service. She wants you to come on in-but mind you-don’t sleep in.

Jeff’s Bagel Run

3485 Acworth Due West Road

Acworth, GA

Hours: 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

acworth@jeffsbagelrun.com