Meet Ari Skye of Courage Bagels

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ari Skye.

Ari, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
This whole journey started back around the beginning of summer 2016 – I lost my job. Abruptly! (I was working for a crappy company for two years too long) Every sort of feeling was rushing through me, pure joy to pure stress. What was I going to do? Who was I going to be? I mean, I was basically given a fresh start – I wanted to use it wisely.

I wanted to make things, I wanted to use my hands, and I wanted to do something honest! Something real! Flash forward a couple of months – I started making bread and whoa! Flour and dough and starters… a whole new world opened up to me. Randomly bread turned into bagels! After that everything just started clicking together. The idea to sell them came followed by the idea to sell them on my bike (technically I didn’t even have a bike, shout out to my friend Peter for giving me his bike and letting me paint it red) followed by the idea to name it courage.

After that I hit the streets – I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew was – I wasn’t going to let the fear hold me back from this adventure. I was going to find my courage! So after a year and half of riding around slanging the bagels off my bike – we got a spot at the Silverlake farmers market, which felt/feels sooooo gooooooooood!

I wouldn’t be where I am today without the love, support and collaboration of my fiancé – he has been my #1 since day one. He’s such an important part of courage – a true wizard in the kitchen! He was a baker years ago and has shared so much knowledge/ wisdom with me! My best friend Emmy – she used to sell bagels off the bike with me and whenever I was feeling down, she always gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going.

And of course, I wouldn’t be where I am today without all my other amazing friends, family, and customers. The beautiful, lovely people that keep coming back for more and keep me going! I literally get teary eyed thinking about all the amazing people I’ve got to meet since starting this. This may seem like a one-woman show – but far from it!!!

Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. I have a few flat tire stories I could tell you about… literally and figuratively. Hehe! There has just been a lot of your typical day to day struggle – things not going as planned.

It’s also been a struggle to hold on to my own courage sometimes, to throw myself out there and burst out of my shy shell. But I think the struggle is an important part of this thing – sure, smooth sounds dreamy. But without the struggle, you can’t learn and grow, and that’s all I want – to learn and grow.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Courage Bagels – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Courage Bagels is a small but fast-growing – handmade, fresh, boiled and baked bagel business founded on the back of a red bicycle in Echo Park. We focus on what we call “farm to bagel” – fresh, local and organic ingredients… comprising a simple menu – bagels, shmears, and accouterments that change with the season.

I think we are known for/hope we are known for caring deeply about our ingredients! And caring deeply about our customers, I hope they always feel special and feel the love! I also hope that no matter where this journey takes us, we’ll always be known for, the little red bike that could!

I’m most proud of our perseverance – we keep showing up! We keep going! I don’t think most people realize how laborious making bagels and building a business can be. Our bagels are Montreal inspired. Which means our bagels are a little bit thinner, crispier and have a bigger center hole than the typical NYC bagels you’re used to.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love LA! All of it! The sunshine! The energy! The people! The artist! The opportunity! The community I’ve found!

The mystery lurking around the corner of a quiet side street!

I love that I can ride around LA on a red beach cruiser selling bagels out of a basket and people get it! People are into it! And support it! I don’t have a “like least” about our city. 🙂

Pricing:

• 1/2 dozen bagels $12
• Dozen bagels $24

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @courage_bagels
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/couragebagels/

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.