Have you been craving a tasty, home-baked snack? Check your email and you will more than likely find a message from senior Brady Klopfer advertising his fresh bagels and pies. Sold at reasonable prices (bagels 4/$5, 8/$8 or 12/$10, and pies $12), they are offered in a variety of flavors and are even delivered right to your door. Brady began this business less than a month ago at the suggestion of a housemate.
“I cook a lot for my house because they don’t cook much, so I kind of do a lot of the familial cooking. One of them suggested that I should start selling them, and I had never really thought of it because I didn’t think people would actually buy bagels from a student,” said Klopfer.
That idea was quickly proved wrong. His sales jumped from 12 bagels in the first week to 56 bagels and two pies in the second, and a similar amount in the third. When asked how he deals with such a demand on his own, Klopfer shrugged modestly.
“I wake up early on Fridays,” Klopfer said simply. “And then I just crank them out, as many as I can fit in the oven.”
Sometimes having to make last-minute runs to Super 1, the farmer’s market or Safeway for extra ingredients, Klopfer has found this method effective so far. When he realized how popular his bagels were, he decided to add pies to the mix.
“I was trying to think of other things that I can mass-produce that don’t take a ton of preparation,” said Klopfer. “With the pies it’s nice because you can make a lot of dough the night before and prep the filling, and then they’re in the oven for a long time.”
Klopfer was used to making pies fairly often, so this wasn’t a difficult addition for him.
“I have a habit of making pies and bringing them to the library and just demolishing a pie with a group of friends at 1 in the morning,” said Klopfer with a laugh.
Klopfer seems to really enjoy his business for more than just the profits.
“I’m not in dire need of making a ton of money; that’s not the main purpose,” said Klopfer. “I really enjoy cooking by myself; it’s very peaceful and calming.”
