What Goes A-Round, Comes A-Round

At a time when there’s plenty of talk about failing high streets and town centres becoming ghost towns, Berko continues to buck the trend.

This week’s Behind the Counter shines a light on M Street Bagels.

When Mike, who runs the business with his wife Emmaleen, first talked about opening the shop, he said Berko needs a place like Cheers, a local spot where everyone knows your name. It’s a sentiment many locals will recognise.

Since opening in Spring 2025, M Street has been feeding Berko locals, but it’s clear the idea goes beyond bagels alone. Uneaten food is regularly donated to local projects and there is a generosity of spirit that shows up in more than just portion size.

M Street Bagels is a simple idea, warmly executed: good food, community-minded decisions and a schmear of New York dropped into the heart of Berko.

Below, Mike shares more about the thinking behind M Street Bagels and why stopping in for a chat was always part of the idea.

Honestly, it’s been a bit scary — it’s something neither of us had ever done before. We’d never worked in cafés or restaurants. I think I was a waiter for about a week once, and my wife had a part-time job at McDonald’s when she was a teenager. She’s a lawyer now, I’m a writer. I’ve spent plenty of time in coffee and bagel shops, but I’d never run one. I actually had to have training and learn how to make proper coffee.

But with all that said, it’s been phenomenal. From the beginning, we knew we wanted to open something in our own town and really be part of the community. We live here, our kids go to school here, and now our business is here too — so it feels very personal.

What’s been incredible is getting to know so many people and seeing familiar faces come in regularly. You really start to feel like you’re part of the fabric of the town. Opening M Street in Berkhamsted has been fantastic for us — we genuinely love it here.

I’m from New York — so that’s the short answer. Bagels are just a staple. Growing up, getting up in the morning and grabbing a bagel and a coffee was simply what you did.

My wife and I met in California and later moved to New York City, and that’s where she fell in love with bagels too.

When we moved here, we really missed that. We started asking around where you could get a proper bagel, and there just wasn’t anywhere local. We were driving quite a distance to satisfy that craving.

Originally, my wife had always wanted to open a coffee shop, and I said, “That’s a great idea — you should.” But when this space came up for rent, we looked at it and thought, why not bring something we genuinely love and miss? So it really came down to that: a craving, a gap in the area, and something we were excited to share.

Definitely the menu — and the playlist, which I’m constantly fighting my staff about because they love changing it on me!

But more than that, it’s the vibe and the energy of the place. When we opened, we wanted M Street to feel welcoming — almost like our own version of Cheers, where everybody knows your name… or at least tries to.

And so far, I think we’ve done a pretty good job with that. We see so many familiar faces now. We have so many regular's.  But what feels most like us — me and my wife — is the atmosphere. We want people to feel good being here. Not just come in, grab something, and leave, but treat M Street as a little destination — a place you actually want to be.

Honestly — everything. This is nothing we’d ever done before.

You learn something new every single day. You think you’re just opening a business, but suddenly you’re a part-time plumber, electrician, social media manager, graphic designer — a bit of everything. You end up becoming a master of a lot of trades very quickly.

What’s also surprised me is how fast you adapt. Things that feel overwhelming at first just become routine. Now when something goes wrong, I think, “This is tough now, but in a few weeks it’ll make sense and I’ll be fine.” That mindset shift has been a big surprise in itself. It probably doesn’t hurt that I also have a podcast on personal development, so I’m maybe a little more self-aware when it comes to emotions and perspective.

To be honest, we’re a bit of homebodies. My wife and I spend a lot of time at home with our kids.

But there’s also a very good chance you’ll find me on the High Street — probably in one of the pubs. My wife and I moved back here about 18 months ago, and we’ve built a great community of friends. We’re very lucky to be surrounded by some incredible people, and their support through this whole venture has meant a lot.

So yeah — you’ll probably find me having a pint or two with friends, sometimes with my kids and my wife, just families getting together. That’s most likely where I’ll be.

27 Jan | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Juror #2 — presented by the Berkhamsted Film Society, tickets are £7 on the night for non-members | Details

28 Jan | The Highwayman | 19:30 | Quiz Night

30 Jan | The Mad Squirrel | 19:00 – 21:00 | Thoby Davis | Details

31 Jan | The George & Dragon | 12:30 onwards | Food Truck Pop-Up — Mexican Kitchen with Luz Gonzalez

31 Jan | The Goat | 19:00 | The Looters — 5-piece live band doing 60s & 70s covers

1 Feb | High Street | 09:30 – 15:30 | Antiques and Vintage Market | Details

2 Feb | Centenary Theatre | 18:30 - 19:30 | An Evening with Arsenal Legends — a talks-style live interview starring Paul Merson, Alan Smith and Perry Groves

2 Feb | The Bull | 19:00 | Quiz Night — £12pp entry + prizes to be won + inc. food at half time (£2 of entry fee goes to Mind Mental Health)

If you want to tell us (and other locals!) about something happening, use this form!

27 Jan | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Juror #2

While serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, a family man finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma, one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict or free the wrong killer.

27 Jan | Berkhamsted FC | Men’s First Team | 19:45 KO (h) | vs. Hanwell Town

31 Jan | Berkhamsted FC | Men’s First Team | 15:00 KO (h) | vs. Yate Town

1 Feb | Berkhamsted FC | Ladies | 14:00 KO (a) | vs. Ampthill Town Ladies

That’s it for this week.

If you spotted something useful, feel free to pass it on to someone else.

And if you see us writing around town — often on the High Street, sometimes at M Street Bagels — don’t be a stranger.

— from Berko.