Diala Sawaged, founder of Bagel Nosh

Enter the small storefront of Bagel Nosh in Livingston, New Jersey, and you are immediately greeted with a big smile from the woman behind the counter. Order your bagel and in a few of seconds it is served to you. Many order theirs to go, but there are tables in the store where you can enjoy this Jewish breakfast treat.

Bagels always seemed to be a particularly Jewish item available in the larger, well-known delicatessens like Katz’ on Houston Street in New York City, Corky & Lenny’s in Cleveland or Kenny & Ziggy’s in Houston, to name just few I have visited. Bagels originated in Jewish neighborhoods of cities in Poland and then made their way across the Atlantic. They were known to first show up in Poland in the 17^th century and were associated with Ashkenazi Jews only to become very popular with Americans beginning with Jewish immigration in the 19^th century. Many Polish Jews brought them from the old country to their new homes in America and their popularity took off from there.

I was curious about this establishment in Livingston because I had been there many times and because I had seen the name before, I was interested in whether this particular place was a franchise. I asked the lady behind the counter if it was and she replied, “No, I own it!” I wanted to know what drove her to open a bagel shop in a town that already had several popular delicatessens, so I arranged to sit down with her and find out. 

Since its grand opening in June 2022, Bagel Nosh of Livingston, located at 1 West Mt. Pleasant Avenue in Livingston, has been thriving and it’s easy to see why. The moment you step through the door, you are greeted by the aroma of freshly baked bagels, the chatter of patrons and the warm greeting from the shop’s owner they call “Dee.”  

Diala Sawaged is an immigrant from Jordan who came to this country with her then- husband at the age of twenty. Arriving with limited English proficiency—her native language is Arabic—Ms. Sawaged faced numerous challenges. Yet through persistence and grit, she was able to push past every obstacle. By the age of twenty-two, she welcomed her first child and at twenty-four, her second. She knew that she had to establish a name for herself and work to be able to provide a comfortable life for the children. She decided to continue her education at Ramapo College of New Jersey to be able to improve her opportunities.

Diala’s entrepreneurial spirit first blossomed in the field of real estate, prompting her to pause her education to explore this new passion. When asked how she managed to achieve so much, she explained, “You have to constantly work hard and have that internal drive to always want to better your existence. You have to keep pushing and believe in yourself. Then you can accomplish your dreams.” The real estate business gave her an understanding of business here in the United States, which laid the foundation for her future ventures.

While in Livingston one day for an open house, Diala was looking for a bagel shop and found none near where she was. She had always dreamed of owning her own business, and so the idea of opening a own bagel shop came to her. With a good amount of hard work and dedication, Ms. Sawaged was able to find two silent partners to help her launch her enterprise. One of these partners, Eli Eslami Omar, played a crucial role in the shop’s successful opening. Despite the fact that the name “Bagel Nosh” is a fairly common name in these parts, it isn’t a franchise. The name originated with Mr. Omar, who shared his extensive knowledge of the bagel business with Diala. Because of their shared dedication, the business got off the ground smoothly.

Ms. Sawaged’s independent spirit, strong work ethic and “hands on” approach, made Bagel Nosh a great success and it is now a favorite in the Livingston community. Despite having ten employees, Diala remains deeply involved in daily operations, from managing payroll and inventory to handling catering orders. She begins her day at 3 AM and keeps a high-energy hand in everything all day. She treats her employees like family and always gives back to the community.

The definition of an entrepreneur is a person who starts and operates a business and takes on greater than normal financial risks. It is easy to see why Ms. Sawaged has been successful. She checks all the boxes for being a successful entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs always seem to believe in themselves and in their ability to get things done and done properly. Ms. Sawaged is certainly no exception. She believes that if you work hard at something to which you are really devoted, that hard work will always pay off. In Jordan, she began doing sales for a food products company when she was eighteen years old and didn’t really know exactly what she had to do, but quickly figured it out and went on from there. That was a kind of internship. When the company managers saw what she could do, they offered her a regular job at a significant amount of money that allowed her actually to work part time. That’s part of what it takes to succeed in your own business. You need to show initiative and an ability to make what has often been referred to as “executive decisions.”

She described how once one of the machines she used broke down and she managed to fix it herself. That’s the kind of spirit that one needs to succeed as an entrepreneur. Show that you are able to solve your own problems when they arise. When she taught herself how to run a fork lift (not such an easy task), her employers immediately recognized her energy, spirit and ability to think on her feet.

She describes the way she learned to speak English as the “hard way.” She watched a lot of television programs in English and slowly began to have command of the language. She said that one of her strongest skills is the ability to pay attention to details which helped her to learn her new language.

“Managing staff may be the hardest part of being an entrepreneur,” she says. She wants the people she hires to be able to do the same tasks that she does and to show their own initiative. It’s all part of the work ethic that she expects her employees to have. Diala also believes that her customers are always right and she will do whatever is necessary to see that they are served properly and are satisfied.

Diala does her own bookkeeping, purchasing of supplies and establishing relationships with vendors as well as her customers. When asked about her favorite part of owning the shop, she responded without hesitation that “It has to be the amazing customers who walk through my door every day. Without them and the wonderful Livingston community, I would not be where I am today. This is why I am constantly giving back to the town because I truly would not have been able to succeed without everyone’s support and I am so grateful.”

Her gratitude is evident in her daily interactions with customers who always call her by name. One customer noted, “The owner always makes you feel at home and wants to make sure everything is perfect.”

More than just a bagel shop, Bagel Nosh of Livingston is a vibrant community hub, characterized by a friendly staff, a welcoming atmosphere and delicious food made fresh daily.

Under Ms. Sawaged, a hardworking and compassionate entrepreneur, the business continues to grow and she looks forward to guiding the shop’s continued success and positive impact on the community.

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About William Lulow
William “Bill” Lulow is an accomplished professional photographer who began his career as a photojournalist for the Denver Post. He began a series of concert photo shoots, covering Judy Collins, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Chuck Berry, Neil Young. His first photo studio was on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Later he moved his studio downtown to the Photo District. Today he is a certified teacher of photography and conducts seminars and workshops at his own studio in Livingston, New Jersey. For more information, please see https://williamlulow.com/

Links:
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https://www.instagram.com/bagelnosh.livingston/
https://bagelnoshlivingston.com/