On Dec. 30, 1984, Ken and Marguerite Ryan opened The Bagelry in a snowstorm and grossed $63. When it became apparent how many hot bagels would go to waste, Ken found a creative solution: handing them out to strangers in the snow.
Four decades later, The Bagelry has become a fixture on Railroad Avenue — and some regulars still remember Ken’s inventive marketing scheme. “I would get told of that right till we retired,” he said. “’You know, I remember the day you opened, you gave me a hot bagel in a snowstorm!’”
Downtown Bellingham has evolved since the ’80s, but for many community members, The Bagelry is a nostalgic cornerstone. Its menu is pure comfort food: think New York-style bagels plus schmears, bagel sandwiches, omelets and coffee. You’ll spot some of the same regulars in 2024 as you would a decade ago — sometimes sitting at the same table.
But that’s not to say The Bagelry hasn’t changed since its founding. The Ryans retired in 2015 and entrusted the shop to longtime head bakers, Terra and Aaron Seaton. Aaron taught Terra to make bagels; eventually, they got married. Today, they’re proud to carry forward the Ryans’ enduring, carb-laden legacy.
Early days
Ken opened The Bagelry for two reasons: “I needed a job, and I felt Bellingham needed a bagel store.” He previously worked for Georgia Pacific; when the board mill closed, Marguerite encouraged him to open his own business.
Ken learned the trade by apprenticing with a former neighbor in New York, who also owned a bagel shop. Then, when 1319 Railroad Ave. came up for rent, the Ryans “jumped on it” and renovated the building to suit a restaurant. (They joined that initial space with a neighboring building in 1992 to create the storefront customers know today.)
The Ryans chose the location — best known as the former home of Wallace Poultry — for its ample parking and proximity to downtown hubs like JCPenney. Ken described the surrounding block as “colorful” in the ’80s, with The Bagelry wedged between two bars and across from an adult bookstore.
“When we were opening up, there were a lot of very tough characters just hanging out on the block, and so we had to deal with that on a daily basis,” Ken said. “And I used to think, you know, am I going to get out of this alive?”
Regardless, The Bagelry developed a loyal following — and deservedly so, according to Bellingham Herald food critic John Doerper. His 1985 review was titled “At last: A good, thrifty breakfast (and bagel) eatery in Bellingham”; in those days, bagels cost just 25 cents.
“People would ask, ‘Why are your bagels so different?’” Ken said. He chalks it up to consistency and care: “I think I used to tell people that they’re good because we fuss over them.”
Customers and employees also kept the Ryans motivated. Ken estimated they hired more than 2,500 people in their time; he’s still friends with many former staffers, and has even hired their children. Some employees stay for six months; others, like the Seatons, remain for years.
Aaron’s original plan was to work at The Bagelry for six months, but he was charmed by staff camaraderie. In those days, they’d have “family dinners” each Thursday — which afforded plenty of opportunities for Aaron and Terra to get to know each other. The couple got married while working alongside each other as co-head bakers.
In Terra’s view, there’s “something about [The Bagelry] that definitely draws you in.” She continued, “I just think it’s neat, that it’s been around for so long, and so many people have worked here and met here. There’s, like, eight Bagelry couples.”
Change of ownership
Once The Bagelry’s building was paid off, Ken decided it was time to pass on the reins — but rather than sell to an out-of-town investor, Aaron said he hoped to “keep it in the family.”
Thus, Ken approached the Seatons about buying The Bagelry in 2015. At the time Terra was going to school for therapeutic recreation, and neither she nor Aaron ever dreamed of running a bagel shop. However, Terra added, “It just felt like an opportunity that I would always regret if I said ‘no’ to it.”
Terra and Aaron aim to preserve the “Bagelry of old,” though the duo did bring in some “modern technologies” (read: credit card machines). They also introduced seasonal bagels, which allow bakers to get creative with new flavors. Some experiments, like beet and fennel, “haven’t been hits.” Others, like tomato basil, quickly became customer favorites.
But while business ownership has been rewarding, both Seatons cited an obvious low: COVID-19. “So many things you can search on the internet,” Terra said, “but there was no advice for how to run a restaurant in a pandemic.”
In early 2020, The Bagelry closed for a month and half, then reopened for pre-orders only. The Seatons’ expected business would be slow — but contrary to expectations, “We right away had to have a staff of like 10,” Terra said. “I thought it would be three of us. That was a high, I guess, to just know that people really do have our back.”
Local legacy
Aaron and Terra are still close with the Ryans, even calling them for advice when needed. In Ken’s view, the Seatons’ efforts paid off: “I give them all the credit in the world,” he said. “They’re doing a very, very good job in tough times.”
Of course, “tough times” don’t just apply to the pandemic. Amid inflation, recession and an ever-changing downtown landscape, The Bagelry has weathered its share of storms — but “time and time again, people just come out to support local businesses,” Aaron said. “And that’s a really special thing about our community.”
For many Bellingham families, The Bagelry is a tradition: A customer told Terra how her family has made Thanksgiving stuffing with their bagels for her whole life. The restaurant is also a longtime haunt of some of Bellingham’s most iconic characters, including John C. Bromet — aka the “Peace Wizard” — who died in 2023. (His orders were exclusively placed under the name “Wizard.”)
Aaron recalled another longtime customer who badgered Ken about getting a toaster. (In true New York style, Ken prefers his bagels untoasted.) When that customer died, his friends set up a toaster outside the restaurant as a cheeky memorial. The staff even powered it with an extension cord.
It’s worth noting Ken did eventually invest in a toaster. After all, businesses don’t last four decades without the occasional evolution. But the Seatons pointed out their bagel recipe has been the same since 1984 — except nowadays, they go through about seventy 50-pound flour bags per week.
As for the owners’ favorite bagels? Aaron is a fan of sesame and plain cream cheese, whereas Ken prefers a bialy with scallion cream cheese. Terra is partial to an everything bagel; after all, she said, “it’s a classic for a reason.” After 40 years in business, the same could be said about The Bagelry itself.
The Bagelry is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 1319 Railroad Ave. On Dec. 30, the eatery will celebrate with $5 breakfasts and a prize wheel all day long. Info: bagelrybellingham.com.
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
