Meet Kayla Palmer of Nashville’s Bagelshop
Get to know Bagelshop co-owner Kayla Palmer as she dishes on turning her hobby into a business, her favorite offerings at the shop, and more.
Mississippi native Kayla Palmer has a deep-rooted love for community, food, and service. She worked her way through college as a barista and bartender, and then a journalism internship led her to Nashville in 2016. But her true calling was in hospitality β and, ultimately, bagels!
After having a daughter, Kayla and her husband Max decided to turn a hobby into a business, launching Bagelshop from their home kitchen and working their way up to farmersβ markets and a devoted following. Now, the couple operates a brick-and-mortar in Donelson, where they offer hand-rolled, βNashville-styleβ bagels. Get to know this weekβs FACE of Nashville!
Tell us a bit about your upbringing.
Iβm from a small town in Mississippi that you very likely havenβt heard of called Kosciusko (kah-zee-esko). I grew up an only child playing in my grandparentsβ gardens with cousins and staying outside until the street lights came on.
I was eager to leave when I turned 19, though I do enjoy going back home to visit my family and catching up with friends β¦ Itβs truly a charming place, especially during the holidays.
Have you always loved to bake? Whatβs your earliest culinary memory?
Iβve always been in the kitchen watching my grandmothers bake biscuits, batch sun tea, process veggies from the garden, and prepare huge meals at Thanksgiving. Food is a big part of life in the South. One of my first memories is making biscuits with my Grandma Lillie. She loved being in the kitchen and always made sure everyone was taken care of.
Why bagels?
We started making bagels for our friends at work. We made flavors youβd typically not see in a traditional bagel, like cherry and vanilla (we need to recreate this ASAP). We got pretty comfortable with them, and no one else was delivering bagels at the time in Nashville.
Since this was taking off during the peak of COVID-19, the delivery model was a huge hit. It just kept growing until we entered the farmersβ market space and now our cute little shop!
What was the biggest challenge in getting your business off the ground?
The biggest challenge has, at times, been myself. The emotions of a business owner ebb and flow. Iβve worked very intentionally on channeling my energy to focus on myself and the business, giving it the time and effort it needs. I often struggle with impostor syndrome! Itβs paralyzing at times. Luckily, I have a great network of other business owners who are always there to chat through scenarios and share wins with me. Community is everything!
If we can only choose one Bagelshop menu item, what should it be?
Right now, Iβm always getting the Spicy Everything bagel with the Vegan Scallion + Dill Schmear. Our vegan cream cheese is unmatched!
Rumor has it that you and your husband host many events to gather the community. What can we look forward to?
Weβve had positive feedback on our βQuietβ Book Club, so those are here to stay. Iβm looking forward to hosting a few different kinds of events β¦ some may include music and art. Lots of ideas are brewing! One of the driving forces for our space and the shop layout was that it would be easy to transition into a place for events in the evening. We are excited to see where this takes us!
When you arenβt working, where can we find you?
I love going on long walks around my neighborhood or trying new restaurants around town.
Running a restaurant is demanding work. What do you do for self-care?
Iβve learned self care is really important so that Iβm showing up as my best self. Iβve started taking extracurricular activities more seriously. I love moving my body at different exercise classes or something more relaxing like laying out a big blanket at the park with a good book and a little treat.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever received?
Be patient. Thatβs one of the hardest things to keep in mind. Human nature makes us feel like this is impossible, but as they say, good things take time.
Name three things canβt you live without.
Coffee, my journal, and my Aquaphor!
LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite bagel flavor of all time? I am a poppy seed girl all day.
Favorite hidden gem in Nashville? While itβs hot out, I love going to the Icy Boys Snowballs walk-up window. Itβs so nostalgic.
Favorite book or podcast? Iβm an avid podcast listener β specifically, true crime podcasts! I just began the book No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai.Β I will have to let you know what I think!
Guilty pleasure? I could watch Judge Judy and Dr. Phil all day long. Any daytime TV show β¦ I love it!
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Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Editorial Operations Manager and Lead Content Editor. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.