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Name: Manhattan Bagel

Type of store: Individually owned franchise selling bagels, sandwiches, salads, and coffee

Address: Three locations:
--2591 Route 516, Old Bridge in telephone: (732) 679-8600
--210 South Ave., Westfield next to train station: (908) 654-0525
--1350 Galloping Hill Road, Union, in Five Points shopping center: (908) 687-4900

Number of employees: Ten-15 for each store

Founded: 1994 by Seymour Applebaum

Web sites:
--www.manhattanbagelunion.com;
--www.manhattanbagelwestfield.com;
--www.manhattanbageloldbridge.com

Top officers: Owners Seymour Appelbaum and Josh Wang

How would you describe your business?

"We are a seven-day-a-week operation providing freshly baked bagels baked on the premises daily until 2 p.m. We also brew our coffee often. We have items for breakfast, soups, salads, and specialty sandwiches for lunch and dinner. We offer hot and cold catering especially breakfast for groups up to a couple hundred people. We've catered for many different occasions. We also offer instant online ordering or sandwiches and deli items we do deliveries. We are pretty much what you would expect from a bakery deli with a neighborhood feel," said owner-partner Josh Wang.

What makes your business special?

"We are open at 5 a.m. The day starts early and we pay attention to the small things. We know what our customers want. When we see them pull up in the parking lot, we have their bag with their bagel and coffee waiting for them by the time they come into the door. We know people are stressed for time. We do the small thing have the food ready for them and give them top quality product and service. We are partnered with Manhattan Bagel which has a strong product; our product is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Our newest store in Old Bridge has an espresso bar and by the end of the year the other two stores will have espresso bars, too."

What goals do you have for the business?

"One of our goals is to keep on going. I'd like to see us have at the end of the decade maybe nine or 10 stores. Pretty much putting Manhattan Bagels on the map in Somerset and Hunterdon County, where there are no Manhattan Bagel stores. I want to be in that area and have a network of stores, where people can call up and make an order and receive the same product they got in Warren or Bridgewater so the customer knows that no matter where we are located, the product and service is the same."

How has your business changed?

"The way the business has changed is that today our bagel store isn't just a bagel store with an oven, where someone will buy a dozen bagels and a container of cream cheese. You can't just start at 5 a.m. and stop at 2 p.m. A lot of bagel stores still are working that way but with Manhattan Bagel, we've made the transition to serving lunch items because now Manhattan Bagel has gone to a larger size store with seating for 30 people -- so if people come from their office, they are able to sit comfortably and have a latte or espresso. Maintain that for lunch so people can join together and not be in a little luncheonette."

What was your most important deal?

"Every customer is our most important deal. We never say no to a customer. For example, if a customer comes in and asks for a particular bagel and we are out of that variety of bagel, I would tell the customer the bagel is in the oven and we will have that bagel in a couple of minutes. I'll ask the customer to sit down and have a cup of coffee on me and when it's ready I'll call you. That's my most important deal -- when a customer wants something I don't say no."

What changes do you expect in your business in the next 10 years?

"The bagel business isn't about bagels anymore. There are rolls, bakery items, there are salads, for a healthier choice. We're not selling just bagels anymore. What I've seen changing in the past few years is coffee. It's not just coffee -- it's lattes or espresso. Drinks are now a major driving force in marketing, it's not just food."

What is the most important thing you've learned in your business?

"Customer service. The most important thing is to make the customer happy. Even though we are a franchise business, we operate it like a mom and pop store, which wants to serve the customer as best we can."

What advice would you give to someone considering your line of work?

"If you are not a person who doesn't deal well with other people and isn't interested in customer service, then this definitely isn't for you. But if you are a people person, then it definitely will be the business for you."

Is there anything else you would rather be doing?

"No. I'm actually happy doing what I'm doing. I enjoy coming in every day and interacting with customers. I'm not someone who would be in an office without windows and dealing with only a few people during the day. I like dealing with several hundred people a day. It's a nice feeling."