01/22/2026
🥰🥯❤️
Brian At Little Guide here! Whenever I get to have a conversation with one(or two in this case) of our local small business owners, one of my favorite things to learn about is the "WHY". Why do they do what they do? Why did they embark on this journey with this specific path forward?
Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with married couple Steve and Abby of Elemy's Bagels fame! Of course I learned about their "why", but what really impressed me was just who they are betting on by opening Elemy's in the first place. They are betting on themselves and to this point, everything is coming up aces!
The why was simple. Being a well-traveled military family, they were used to living in places where good fresh, traditional, hand rolled New York style bagels were readily available. When they landed in Augusta? None to be found. None.
Steve set out on a journey utilizing a methodical, systems oriented mindset to remedy that...and boy did he?! Because baking is science, but making bagels is next level. Steve didn't quit until it was the real deal. Friends and family came calling...then Augustans at large at the farmer's market downtown and before you knew it, they had a brick and mortar on Verandah Drive right off Walton Way Extension. They serve breakfast and lunch all day and the menu has expanded to include other baked goods and a lot of outstanding sweet, as well as savory, bites.
My Dear Readers...rarely will you find a place like Elemy's Bagels where such a combination of vision, passion, drive and care comes together so seamlessly. Believe me when I tell you this...you can taste it in every bite. Or...don't take my word for it; go see for yourself and thank me later.
