Bagel shop (illustrative)
Bagel shop (illustrative)iStock

One of the oldest bagel bakeries in the United States is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Revered in the Detroit, Michigan area by bagel fans for decades, New York Bagel is still run by the Goldsmith family, with the current owners fourth generation family members.

Owner Howard Goldsmith, 70, is the grandson of founder Morris Goldsmith. Howard Goldsmith currently runs the shop with his son, Phil Goldsmith, 39, who will soon take over full ownership as his father gradually takes on less duties and retires in 2022, the Detroit Jewish News reported.

When great-grandson Phil Goldsmith takes over, he will be the fourth generation to run the bakery.

Howard Goldsmith, originally a speech and hearing sciences professor at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, moved back to Detroit in 1987 and became a partner in the business with his father, Harvey Goldsmith.

In the 1990s, the bagel business entered a boom time.

“That’s when Einstein Bros. Bagels and Bruegger’s Bagels came along — they were reacting to the explosion,” Goldsmith told the Jewish News. “What was nice for us is we were there to catch the wave.”

Thirty years later, business is still going strong for New York Bagel, now celebrating its centennial.

According to Goldsmith, the shop’s longevity is due to its unique product which has led to loyal customers.

“[The] key is taking care of customers well and trying to satisfy them in any way possible. No matter how much technology you incorporate, if you don’t put out a good product and your customers aren’t satisfied, you’re [in trouble].”

He also believes that Detroit’s Jewish community has a lot to do with its success over the years.

“If it weren’t for the Jewish community, I think New York Bagel wouldn’t have flourished,” he said, noting that at this point in time bagels are now part of general American food culture. “We’re eternally grateful for every customer who comes in here, Jewish or not.”

The shop began in 1921, when Morris Goldsmith, along with two other Eastern European Jewish immigrants, purchased a bagel shop in Detroit. They renamed it New York Bagel because New York City was where bagels first gained popularity in the United States.

Eventually, Morris Goldsmith became the sole owner. In the ensuing century, with the shop handed down from generation to generation, New York Bagel became a fixture in the Detroit area.