Hello, Berko!
January is almost done, the days are getting a little longer and there’s plenty to get out and do.
For this week’s edition, we got to sit down with Mike from M Street Bagels to talk about bagels, Berko, and becoming a beacon of community spirit.
On the menu this week:
Behind the Counter with M Street Bagels
What’s happenin’ this week
Sports, dogs & music
Let’s get into it.
Gather Round — M Street is where bagels and people meet
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.
Mike wants M Street to be a beacon of community spirit
What’s it been like opening a business in Berko?
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.