We're taking a bite out of the fast-casual food industry as we speak with Matt Johnson, the owner of The Bagel Den, a popular neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot located on Uinta Way in Kimball Junction. Johnson shares the entrepreneurial journey of expanding the brand and transforming a familiar local space into a modern, high-energy artisan cafe.
Johnson talks about sourcing and flying in authentic bagel dough directly from Long Island, New York, every week to achieve that trademark East Coast texture before baking them fresh locally, how the business balances serving a dedicated weekday local workforce with the massive rush of tourism at different times of the year, and his strategies for managing tight margins in the fast-casual sector. He also touches on building a welcoming "hip-chill" community environment that doubles as a workspace and local meetup hub.
