Bagels, although a staple in the United States and Canada, are rare things in Nosara, despite the community of foreigners. With the opening of Bagelmen’s in Guiones sometime in early June, that will change.
Aside from being the first place to offer New York style bagels ready to eat, Bagelmen’s will also be the first fast-food chain in Nosara.
Nuria Benet and her husband Rogeli, originally from Barcelona, are the driving force behind the new restaurant. The pair already owns a clothing store in town, but the restaurant will be a new challenge. |
|
 |
Having a Bagelmen’s in Nosara was a local choice, not a corporate one. “We contacted them [Bagelmen’s] about opening up a store in Guiones,” said Benet.
They wanted to open a restaurant to fill a niche they perceived in the Guiones market. “There are a lot of Americans who stay and live here,” noted Benet. “Americans like bagels, and there is no where to buy them really.”
Bagelmen’s is a chain originally created in Chicago, United States and brought to Costa Rica by the Matheson family in 2000. Their mission, according to their website is “to supply the fast food market with healthy high quality food.” Since the business came to Costa Rica 12 years ago, Bagelmen’s has opened five restaurants in different parts of the country. This will be the sixth.
Set to open by June 10th, Bagelmen’s will offer bagels, sandwiches, salads and other fast, healthy food.
According to the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce, 171 foreign franchises operate approximately 900 stores in Costa Rica, and that figure keeps increasing. In 2011, 147 franchises were operating in Costa Rica. Sixty percent of foreign franchises are U.S.-based. |
|
