At Estrella, we’re all about fostering community and providing our residents with opportunity. We sat down with one of our very own residents, Jerry, who happens to be the owner of Oasis Bagels. We wanted to further understand his story and vision for the store as it continues to serve Estrella residents with some of the best bagels, pastries, and coffee offerings you’ll find in the West Valley!
Tell us a bit about Oasis Bagels!
Oasis Bagels was established in 2010 but last year, I had the opportunity to take ownership. As a retired veteran, I was looking for something to help fill my time but also an opportunity to give back to the community in Estrella. I thought, what better way to do so than to be the neighborhood’s go-to spot for bagels, pastries, coffee, and community!
Although I’ve been a customer for 10+ years, I wanted to create a space where the community gathered, rather than your average bagel shop. Aiming to be “Estrella’s Hometown Cafe,” I wanted to give people an experience that they’d enjoy and remember every time they came to Oasis Bagels.
Why did you choose Estrella rather than taking the business elsewhere?
I’ve been in Estrella since 1997 – Estrella is truly home for me. I’ve raised all three kids here and my oldest was in the first full graduating class in Estrella. I feel very fortunate to live here and am passionate about this community, so moving Oasis Bagels wasn’t even a consideration!
What’s your favorite part about being the owner of Oasis Bagels?
Not only do I love bagels, but I’ve learned that I’m also very passionate about baking! Despite being the owner, I’m also the primary baker so I’m at the store each morning around 2:30 a.m. to start the ovens and kettles. I’ve learned the ins and outs of the chemistry behind baking. It’s all about formulas and tweaking them to find your “secret sauce.” However, I’m not the only one contributing to what’s on the menu – I involve the community too! Whether it’s from the suggestion box or a customer verbally asking me for a new flavor, I’ll always take their suggestions into consideration. There have been many times where the customer’s suggestion is a major hit, such as when we turned our lemon poppy muffin into a bagel! Before I share it with the community, I always ask for that customer to come in and try it first. From there, I’ll make final tweaks, if necessary, and then sell it to the public. So not only do I love bagels and baking, but I also really enjoy the community’s participation and giving them a voice. This is, in fact, their neighborhood bagel shop!
What makes you different from other bagel shops?
Along with involving the community, we also give back in a number of ways. We want to be the community’s gathering place so we’ve hosted a number of events such as Yorkie rescues and meetings for Estrella-based clubs, school staff, local church groups, and nonprofits.
We also give back to our local first responders. I grew up having a deep amount of respect for those who served our community and country and because I still do, I want to give back to them when I can. So, we offer the “On Duty, On Us” special, offering complimentary coffee or drink of their choice for any local police officers, firefighters, or military personnel.
Additionally, I’ve worked with local students who have a passion for culinary. Despite not being old enough to have a job, I’ve offered hands-on internships for those who want to learn the science of baking. If this is you, come by and let’s chat to see how I can further help you achieve your dreams!
What are your most popular offerings?
Our bagels are obviously the most popular. Not only is the formula perfected but our bagels are larger than the standard so you’re getting more bang for your buck! However, our number one baked good is the signature crumb cake. We’ve had people travel from Gilbert and Sun City West just to purchase our crumb cake!
We recently started selling biscottis and it seems like we can’t make enough of it – they’re flying off the shelf!
What do you hope Estrella residents will love most about Oasis Bagels?
I hope people not only enjoy our offerings, but that they also enjoy the experience they get when stopping by. I want to be more than a bagel shop – I want to be their community gathering place, everyday pick-me-up, and neighborhood cafe!
Be sure to stop by Oasis Bagels for National Bagel Day on January 15! Jerry and his team are whipping something up and you’re not going to want to miss it! To learn more about Oasis Bagels, visit https://oasisbagels.com/.
Find your new home at Estrella and discover why 7,000 families already call this diverse, welcoming West Valley master-planned community home. Located in Goodyear, Arizona amongst pristine mountains and a dramatic desert landscape, Estrella amenities include multiple Residents’ Clubs, resort-style pools and a waterpark, 72 acres of lakes, 50-plus miles of paths and trails, the Yacht Club of Estrella, the award-winning Nicklaus Design course at the Golf Club of Estrella, community welcome center Casa Lucero, and more than 40 neighborhood parks.
