DETROIT (WXYZ) — A Detroit bagel shop that opened just seven months ago is already expanding, with plans to double its current location and open a second store in Ann Arbor.
Bev's Bagels, located on Grand River and Warren avenues, opened in May and has quickly become a local favorite.
Watch Jolie Sherman's video report below:
Owner and chef Max Sussman announced plans to expand into the adjacent space this spring and open a new location in downtown Ann Arbor this summer.
"We kind of tried to make a bagel diner — two of my favorite things combined into one," Sussman said.
The expansion represents a homecoming for Sussman, who began his culinary career while attending the University of Michigan.
"When I was there, I sort of caught the 'cooking bug' and worked my way through a bunch of restaurants and shops there," Sussman said.
After college, Sussman spent 10 years in New York working at top pizza restaurants and became a James Beard semifinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2012. When he returned to Michigan, he found himself missing New York's bagel scene.
"It was really only when I got a little older, and especially during the pandemic shutdown, that I really started to think more about dough and fermentation."
Sussman started with a Bev's Bagel pop-up in Ann Arbor before opening the brick-and-mortar Detroit location. The shop is named after his grandmother, Beverly, who didn't make bagels but was known for creating gathering spaces for his family.
Despite using premium ingredients, Sussman keeps menu items affordable, which he credits for the business' rapid growth.
"We use all-organic flour, we use a sourdough starter, all our fish is wild, so everything that I learned, that I believe to be important from my years of cooking, we're taking that and putting it into what we're doing here," Sussman said.
Customers have responded positively to the quality and atmosphere.
"We were like no, it's a bagel day, and we came here and it did not disappoint," said Michelle Rabin, who was visiting from Toronto.
Peter Coco from Manchester said he was impressed by the menu variety and quality of the bagels.
“I've seen influencers come here. They all said great things. I was like, 'Yeah, I feel like we got to go then'," Coco said.
The Ann Arbor location represents what Sussman calls "a great full-circle homecoming" to where his culinary journey began.
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