Family Owned For 55 Years
Our store was established in 1962, when bagels were novelties. It was the first bagel store on the South Shore of Long Island. The founder, who came from a generation of bakers, brought his recipe of bagels from Eastern Europe. And even though there was only a small variety at the time, customers were lining up out the door, anxious to taste those hot, crispy bagels spreading aroma around the neighborhood.
Meet Our Family
Sam Asatur
Sam Asatur immigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1987 with five people in his family and $700 in his pocket. He started off working at his friend’s bagel store in Forest Hills, NY where he learned all his skills from baking to cooking. Five years later he bought Bagel City in Merrick. Since then, he expanded the business tremendously with a full line of gourmet appetizing, baked goods and 56 different varieties of bagels and bialys. His mantra is quality first and freshness always. He makes smaller quantities of his products with the finest ingredients multiple times a day in order to maintain freshness. He also prides himself on quality of food. There is not one piece of fish that comes in the door that Sam doesn’t taste. If he doesn’t like the fish, he won’t sell it. Sam is a huge supporter of the Merrick community including local schools, religious organizations and charities.
Yana Hirschorn
Yana Hirschorn graduated from Hofstra University with her BBA in Accounting. She started her career at Deloitte & Touche and then spent the next 10 years at the Beauty house Coty in Finance/Accounting. Recently, she decided to join her father in her family business at Bagel Plaza with hopes of continuing family traditions and coming up with new ideas for menu items, catering options and overall business growth and branding. Yana and her husband Gregg have two children Olivia and Zach and their dog Rosie, who love to come in on weekends for some delicious breakfast.
