Building a successful restaurant is one thing. Turning it into a scalable brand while protecting everything that made it work is another challenge entirely. For small business owners eyeing growth, decisions about expansion, ownership structure, and operator selection can make or break the enterprise.
Joining us on the latest episode of Business Trends Today are Alan Ahlzadeh, Founder and Owner of Brooklyn Bagel & Deli, and Evan Romeo, a co-owner of the Brooklyn Bagel & Deli location in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
From franchisee to founder
Alan Ahlzadeh spent years operating locations for Taco Bell, Burger King, and Great Wraps before deciding to build a brand of his own, Brooklyn Bagel & Deli.
In 2008, at the height of the financial crisis, he took over an underperforming bagel shop in the Atlanta suburb of Johns Creek and applied the same fast-casual discipline he had spent years refining. The turnaround centered on one principle: speed. Ahlzadeh re-worked the operation so customers could walk in, get their order, and walk out in under five minutes.
From there, Ahlzadeh expanded to a location along the Atlanta Beltline in Atlanta’s Ansley neighborhood. It quickly became the brand’s highest-volume store. Soon after, he opened a third location, then a fourth. Ahlzadeh says that at first, operating multiple locations was a challenge. But he says the key to scaling is finding the right team to operate each location.
Finding owners on the inside
Ahlzadeh didn’t have to look far to find a new owner for a new location in his expanding enterprise; it was someone already working at one of his locations. Evan Romeo managed the Ansley Brooklyn Bagel location, the chain’s highest-volume store. That experience gave Romeo a close-up view of the business before becoming an owner.
“I saw the efficiency and everything, I saw that, and I saw the upscalability of it all,” Romeo said. “It really attracted me to making that my career.”
For Romeo, the path from employee to owner is not just his own story. It is the template both he and Ahlzadeh believe the Brooklyn Bagel brand should follow as it grows.
Licensing vs. Franchising
Rather than offering traditional franchises, Ahlzadeh licenses the concept. The structure looks similar on the surface, but he says it gives him more control over who gets in and how they operate. Licensees still pay fees and royalties, just as they would in a franchise arrangement, but the difference is oversight.
Ahlzadeh says investors looking to own a location from a distance don’t get far with him. If the owner isn’t willing to work in their own store, he doesn’t offer them a license.
"It only takes one or two stores to bring the whole thing down. People go on and give a really bad review, and you're in trouble."
“Picking the right franchisee or licensee is very important,” Ahlzadeh said. “You’ve got to make sure they’re dedicated to the experience.”
The reason, Ahlzadeh says, is to protect the brand. It’s something he isn’t willing to compromise on.
Brooklyn Bagel’s Roadmap for Growth
Growth doesn’t just happen; it’s planned, Ahlzadeh says. His roadmap to grow Brooklyn Bagel & Deli includes opening one to two new locations each year. That level of growth, he says, is manageable without sacrificing quality control.
For now, Ahlzadeh is keeping expansion close to home. He’s concentrating on the Atlanta-area market because of its high population density, which he says is essential for high-volume bagel sales. Ahlzadeh is currently in talks with an investor to open their next location in Decatur, just outside of Atlanta.
The Owner-operator model adds accountability
For small business owners considering bringing in new ownership, the Brooklyn Bagel model offers a straightforward but demanding standard. Ahlzadeh and Romeo agree on the owner-operator concept for success.
There is no version of the business where an absentee owner succeeds.
“You’re in there,” Romeo said. “If the toilets have to be cleaned, you’ve got to clean them. If the bagels have to be made, you’ve got to make them.”
Ahlzadeh’s preferred pipeline for new owners runs directly through his existing stores. Romeo’s journey from employee to manager to co-owner is not just one success story. It is the model Ahlzadeh says produces the most reliable operators.
Advice for owners ready to grow
For small business owners with a proven concept and ambitions beyond a single location, the Brooklyn Bagel story is a practical roadmap. One built on slow, steady growth with owners who are personally invested in the day-to-day operations of the store.
Ahlzadeh’s advice for other business owners looking to scale is simple: choose your partners as carefully as you chose your first location, and never let go of what made the first one work.
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