Bagel business seeks to fills hole in market

A HUSBAND and wife hospitality duo with two decades’ industry experience are aiming to introduce Ballarat locals to new kinds of eating experiences.

For the past month, Milia and Jamil Mansour have transformed 310 Sturt Street into Bagels and More, a new business with 15 different kinds of the New York-styled offerings.

Having lived in the region for two years following a treechange from Melbourne to a farm in Gordon, Ms Mansour said she noticed a distinct lack of the fresh boiled breads.

“There’s not one in Ballarat,” she said. “I know there’s a bagels bakery here but a store that specialises in all sorts of bagels.

“Two years ago, I had a cafe in Preston for five years. Bagels were on the menu there and they were definitely popular. People loved them.

“It’s funny, when we came here, not many people knew what a bagel was, so we’d have customers coming in saying I’m just looking for an egg and bacon roll.”

Though Ms Mansour attempted to take something of a break from hospitality following her move, she ended up working part time at a cafe at Ballan and said she missed the human interaction that comes with the job.

“You make a personal connection with your customers,” she said.

“You get to know them. They become friends. They don’t just become someone who’s supporting a business.”

As well as opening up the back courtyard at Bagels and More, Ms Mansour said she also hopes to set up a community pantry for people to sell produce out of, which she previously did at her Preston business.

The “And More” portion of the business’ title is set to be realised also, with items like Middle Eastern pastries to be introduced, in keeping with Mr Mansour’s Lebanese background.

“He migrated here when he was 23 years old,” Ms Mansour said. “We’ve often brought that culture into what we deliver. His mum taught me heaps about cooking Lebanese food.

“Middle Eastern food is amazing and again we’ve found in Ballarat there’s not much here. Even our avocado smash has zaatar on it so we’re introducing it in little bits.

“We want to bring more stuff in over time that you can get in Melbourne but that’s missing in Ballarat.”