APOPKA, Fla. – Running a business in a time of high economic uncertainty isn’t easy, but one Central Florida man seems to have it all figured out.
Central Florida’s beloved bagel spot, Jeff’s Bagel Run, just opened its 20th location.
However, since that location opened in Apopka, the company has already opened its 21st location with more on the way.
The company started during the pandemic and since then, it has become a Central Florida staple.
The Apopka location has only been open for a few weeks, but you would think it’s been there for years with the number of people we saw leaving with bags, and sometimes boxes, of bagels.
“I mean, it’s heartwarming,” said Jeff Perera, co-founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run. “You know, it’s emotional knowing that we’re creating something that people enjoy.”
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Perera said their success comes down to a few things: the product and the people.
“We make a fresh-baked product every day, scratch dough in house, baking it hot almost to order for you,” Perera said. “Our teams are the ones who come in every day, create community in the store, remember your name, remember your order; and I think that builds a ton of trust with the community and makes you want to come back.”
The bagel empire started in the Pereras’ kitchen and they now have locations across the country.
A recent survey by the Orlando Economic Partnership listed political uncertainty, economic uncertainty, and cost pressures as the top three challenges businesses were facing in quarter two of this year.
We asked Perera for his advice to an aspiring entrepreneur looking to open up a business of their own.
“I tell people this all the time, it’s the same answer: just keep going,” Perera said.
Not giving up, and there’s one other ingredient that the Jeff behind Jeff’s Bagel Run recommends.
“It takes a little bit of an appetite for risk, but you have to be willing to put yourself out there,” Perera said.
Jeff’s Bagel Run has nine more locations on the way. To see where they are, click here.