Today, we’d like to introduce you to Danna Fleishman.
Hi Danna, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I have been a foodie my whole life. I grew up going to NYC and NJ every weekend to visit my father. We would always go and get bagels, schmear, whitefish salad, and kippered salmon from one of the local bagel shops.
After moving to Colorado from NYC, bagels were no longer as stable in my life as they once were. I just couldn’t find what I was used to back east, so I stopped eating bagels in Colorado. That’s when I decided I wanted to open a bagel and delicatessen in Boulder. I went back to NYC and talked to my mentors, who have been in the business for over 50 years, about how to start a bagel shop in Colorado. Nine years later, my dream of making bagels came to fruition.
I went back to NJ to work with my mentors (Goldbergs) to learn the business. It took me an entire year to get the recipe the way I wanted it. For an entire year, I tested bagels every week. After six months, I scraped my first recipe and came up with a new and improved one. It took me another six months with the new recipe to get it right.
In 2020, I signed a lease to open my first Brick and Mordor, which was the week every restaurant in the United States closed due to COVID-19. I pulled out of the lease, and unfortunately, I couldn’t find another retail location. That’s when I made the decision to open the food truck. I opened on January 18th, 2023!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been smooth sailing. I had to pull out of my first lease due to Covid. From there, it took me almost three years to open.
Within my first three months of being open, my truck was broken into three times, and I had a lot of things stolen or damaged. I had to regroup and figure out how to keep going. Since then, it has been a lot smoother, but there are always hiccups.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Fleishman’s Bagels and Delicatessen is dedicated to bringing the authentic flavors of New York to the discerning palates of Colorado. Our flavors and menu options are straight from the East Coast.
We bring you authentic New York-style bagels and deli favorites such as bagels and schmear, bacon, egg and cheese, bagel and whitefish, kippered salmon, Rueben’s, and our classic pastrami or corned beef on marble rye.
Our menu features all the classics, including our famous Matzo Ball Soup, black and white cookies, and kugel. In true NYC fashion, we hand-roll, boil, and bake all our bagels. We are a locally-owned food truck, and we are excited to serve the Boulder community. We take pride in delivering the highest quality, delicious food to our customers!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Never be afraid to ask questions or for assistance.
Be humble but confident. There are a lot of wonderful individuals that want to help you and see you succeed. You don’t need to know all the answers. You just need to be open to letting people guide you when you need it.
Contact Info:
- Website: fleishmansbagels.com
- Instagram: @fleishmansbagel
- Facebook: @fleishmansbagel
