Spreading Love and Cream Cheese

Everything Bagels in Soldotna has kneaded, boiled, and baked their way to success, serving hand-rolled bagels, homemade spreads, sandwiches, and espresso to devoted bagel fans on the Kenai Peninsula since 2016. When the novel coronavirus pandemic shook the state, owners Pamela and Matthew Parker chose to close the dining area of their artisan bagel restaurant ahead of the state mandate. They switched to phone and online orders and perfected their pick-up process to keep employees and customers safe.

Loyal customers and a supportive community kept them open, but the owners did face difficult decisions regarding staff and subsequent layoffs. Today, the Parkers are proud to have rehired staff. They’re impressed with how their employees keep rolling with changes, and humbled as they continue to spread the love of bagels and cream cheese to ensure Everything Bagels remains a part of the Kenai Peninsula small business community.

With a decline in tourism, the Parkers credit community support for local businesses as having kept the doors to Everything Bagels open. Thanks to passionate fans that spread the word in a local Facebook group, new folks out to try the shop for the first time, and loyal customers purchasing gift cards to use later, Everything Bagels can keep spreading the love, and the shmear.

For satisfying, crunchy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside bagels in the heart of the Kenai Peninsula, view the Everything Bagels menu at http://www.everythingbagelsak.com.

This web story is sponsored by our partners at the Alaska Small Business Development Center.