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H&H Bagels facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
H&H Bagels
Private
Founded 1972 (1972)
Founder Helmer Toro, Hector Hernandez
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
Number of locations
 5 (2023)
Area served
 United States
Key people
 Jay Rushin (CEO)
Products Bagels, baked goods, deli items

H&H Bagels is a famous bagel company located in New York City. Many people describe their bagels as "classic" and "iconic." They have five stores in New York City and plan to open 25 more across the United States. H&H Bagels also ships its delicious bagels all over the country and sells them to businesses worldwide.

History of H&H Bagels

The H&H Bagels story began in 1972. That year, Helmer Toro and his brother-in-law, Hector Hernandez, bought a place called Midtown Bagels. It was located on Broadway at 80th Street. The "H&H" in the name comes from their first names, Helmer and Hector. Helmer Toro eventually took full control of the business.

In 1974, Helmer Toro opened a second H&H Bagels store. This new store was on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. A few years later, in 1979, the company faced some challenges. This led to a new group taking over the Upper East Side store. However, Helmer Toro continued to own and operate the Upper West Side location.

In 1993, Helmer Toro moved his main bakery. It went to 46th Street near 12th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen. Even with this new bakery, his main store stayed on the Upper West Side.

The original H&H Bagels locations on West 46th Street and West 80th Street closed in January 2012. Meanwhile, the H&H Bagels on the Upper East Side kept running as usual.

In 2014, a new leader, a CEO, joined the company. This new leader started a plan to make H&H Bagels known all over the country. In 2016, H&H Bagels opened a new store on the Upper West Side. The next year, in 2017, they started selling their bagels to stores around the world.

H&H Bagels continued to grow. In 2019, they opened stores at JFK Airport and LaGuardia Airport. Then, in 2021, they opened another location at Moynihan Train Hall.

During the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic, H&H Bagels' business really took off. Their nationwide shipping grew by 500%. Their global sales to other businesses increased by 400%. In August 2021, they started a program to open franchise stores. They plan to open stores in the top 50 cities across the U.S.

In April 2022, H&H renovated their Upper West Side store. It became a special "flagship" store. This means it's a model for their future franchise locations. In September 2022, they received money to help with their big plans for growth.

In May 2023, H&H Bagels announced exciting news. They plan to open 25 new stores across the U.S. They also shared that they are opening a huge new bakery. This 20,000-square-foot bakery in Woodside, Queens will supply bagels worldwide.

Retail Locations

H&H Bagels has several places where you can buy their bagels.

Current H&H Bagels Stores

  • Upper East Side (2nd Avenue between East 80th and East 81st)

This is the oldest H&H Bagels store that is still open today.

  • Upper West Side (Columbus Avenue between West 85th and West 86th)

This store opened in November 2016. It was the second H&H Bagels location. In 2022, it was updated to be the company's main "flagship" store.

  • JFK Airport

H&H Bagels opened this store in Terminal 5 of JFK Airport in 2019.

  • LaGuardia Airport

This store opened in Terminal D of LaGuardia Airport in 2019.

  • Moynihan Train Hall

This location opened in 2021, making it easy for travelers to grab a bagel.

Planned H&H Bagels Stores

H&H Bagels has big plans to open many new stores.

  • California

Five new franchise stores are planned for Los Angeles.

  • Connecticut

A franchise store is planned for Stamford.

  • Florida

A franchise store will open in Boca Raton in late 2023. Five franchise stores are planned for Tampa. A company-owned store is planned for West Palm Beach.

  • New York

A company-owned store will open in New York's Penn Station in late 2023.

  • Illinois

A company-owned store is planned for Chicago's Fulton Market.

  • Virginia

Ten franchise stores are planned for the Washington metropolitan area and the Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News area.

Former H&H Bagels Stores

These are locations that used to be H&H Bagels stores but are now closed.

  • Upper West Side (West 80th St)

This was the very first H&H Bagels store, opened in 1972. It was open 24 hours a day! Bagels were made there almost all the time. This location closed on June 29, 2011.

  • Hell's Kitchen (West 46th St)

The H&H location at 639 West 46th Street also had a large bakery. This store was also open 24 hours a day. The property was sold in December 2011, and the store closed in January 2012.