Downtown bagel shop is a hole in one

It never ceases to amaze me that the American Dream is alive and well right here in Middle Georgia. You don’t have to look far to find it either. Sometimes, it’s sitting right there on a corner in downtown Macon, tucked inside a once-quiet storefront that now has a line out the door before most people have even had their first cup of coffee. Macon Bagels is one of those places.

Owned by husband-and-wife duo Lauren Bone and Patrick Rademaker, this August 2021 success story is what happens when passion, timing and just the right amount of risk all come together. 

Sitting down with Lauren and Patrick, you quickly realize this isn’t just a business partnership. It’s a true balance. Patrick is the social butterfly, the one chatting it up with customers like he’s known them for years, while Lauren is the quiet force behind the scenes making sure everything actually runs. They’re personable, humble and still a little surprised at their own success, which somehow makes you root for them even more.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lauren quit her desk job and went to work for a bakery. Patrick was laid off and had spent time working in kitchens and on a farm. Neither path exactly screamed “future bagel empire,” but here we are. The idea came during a road trip from Florida to Blue Ridge when they stopped in Macon for lunch. They fell in love with the city, the people, the pace and the affordability — six months later, they came back with a plan. They saw a niche, something Macon didn’t have, and decided to create a casual sandwich shop built around one simple concept: the bagel.

Chatting with Patrick about the vision of the bagel-sandwich shop, it struck me, a bagel is portability eating. Nobody’s walking down the street juggling a Reuben on rye, but a bagel and shmear? That’s a whole different story. I see this all the time whenever I’m in a city like New York. A bagel is as commonly seen on the streets as a Prada model. 

When you walk into Macon Bagels, your senses immediately clock in before you even reach the counter. The smell hits you first, fresh bagels baking, warm and inviting, and then you take in the space. With a handful of tables, a couple of couches and a relaxed energy in the back, it feels like Macon’s answer to the TV show Friends’ beloved Central Perk, just with better carbs and the couch isn’t that hideous orange color. 

Now let’s talk about the food, because that’s why we’re all really here.

I ordered “The Soprano,” loaded with Italian cream cheese, ham, salami, coppa, shredded lettuce, banana peppers, pickled red onions and Italian vinaigrette. It was bold, layered and unapologetically messy. I also built my own on a plain bagel with caramelized onion cream cheese, pickled red onions and sausage — and let me tell you, that combination had no business being that good for $7.25.

And that’s the thing that really caught me off guard, the prices. For a downtown location making everything in-house, I expected a little sticker shock. Instead, I found the opposite. It’s refreshingly affordable, especially when you consider the quality.

Everything here is made from scratch. They’re even growing their own ingredients such as peppers, garlic, beets, cilantro, cucumbers, green beans, dill, spinach and lettuce. It’s the kind of detail that most places would put on a sign, but here it just quietly shows up in the food.

Their top sellers include the Out-of-Towner and The Soprano, and their honey buns have developed a following of their own. But what they’re most excited about are their specials. That’s where their creativity really shines. And while customers tend to focus on the bagels, as they should, the pastries are the sleeper hits that deserve a little more attention. The display case just under the order counter shouldn’t be missed. I cannot confirm nor deny that I got their in-house made Oatmeal Cream Pie to go and finished it in my car on the way home. But I digress. 

Like many success stories, their biggest challenge came early. Within the first six months, they realized they were far busier than they ever expected and had to quickly hire staff to keep up. It was the kind of problem every new and small business hopes to have, but it didn’t make it any less overwhelming in the moment.

Still, what Lauren and Patrick are most proud of isn’t just the growth. It’s the people. Many of their employees have been with them since the beginning and help to make Macon Bagels a place where people can connect and hang out. And in true Macon fashion, they’re not just focused on themselves. Unsold bagels are donated daily to a local food bank.

As Patrick told me, they are “shocked and grateful” for the support they’ve received. But after spending time there, it’s not hard to see why. 

So if you haven’t been yet, go. Get there early, bring your appetite and don’t be surprised if you end up staying longer than you planned. Until next time Macon, Let’s Eat! 

Billy Hennessey is the food columnist for The Melody. Write him an email at [email protected].