Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Ustin.
Hi Steve, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve pretty much grown up in this business. I was around 7 or 10 years old when my mom would send me to work with my dad as a punishment — but the funny thing is, I loved it. Being at the bakery was never a chore for me; it was exciting. I learned how to roll bagels when I was just a kid, and the more time I spent there, the more I realized this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I was lucky — I found my passion early.
When I got to college, I struggled to stay focused because none of my classes had anything to do with the bakery. All I wanted was to be there, learning hands-on. In 1972, I officially became my dad’s business partner, and that’s when everything changed. I started making big decisions — hiring, managing people, choosing equipment, developing new ideas, building customer relationships — all of it. That’s where I really learned what it takes to run a business.
Working with family taught me a lot, too. You need clear boundaries and one person making the final call — otherwise things can get messy. My dad trusted me to make decisions, which was a huge gift. It let me move fast, learn from mistakes, and figure out what worked. One of the biggest lessons I learned early on was that every key position needs a backup — because in business, you always have to be ready for the unexpected.
I also became our first sales rep, which meant long hours, tons of meetings, and a lot of bagel samples. But it was worth it — we landed deals with some of the biggest grocery chains in Los Angeles and Southern California.
One of my favorite memories is convincing my dad to open our first retail store. It was 1974, and after a lot of back-and-forth, he finally agreed. We opened in Woodland Hills, and by noon on opening day, we were completely sold out. The community support was incredible — people were so excited to get their hands on a fresh Western Bagel. Today, we’ve grown to 10 retail locations across the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, and Thousand Oaks.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. There’s always competition out there — locally and nationally — trying to undercut our prices or take business away. Being a self-funded, family-owned company, it’s not always easy competing with the big corporations that have huge budgets and endless resources.
Over the years, plenty of new competitors have moved into our neighborhoods hoping to win over our customers. But because we’ve always focused on choosing great locations — strong, community-centered areas and A-grade shopping centers — they’ve had a hard time beating us.
More importantly, we’ve never lost sight of what really matters: staying true to our values, delivering the best quality possible, and taking care of our customers. The road hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve stayed focused, adjusted when needed, and kept pushing forward — and that’s what’s helped us keep growing and thriving all these years.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Western Bagel has been serving Southern California since 1947, and honestly, we’ve built everything on three things: quality, consistency, and community. We bake fresh bagels every single day — no shortcuts, no gimmicks — just great ingredients and traditional methods that have stood the test of time.
What really sets us apart is that we’ve never lost sight of who we are. We’re still family-owned and operated, and we genuinely care about every person who walks through our doors. From the moment someone steps into one of our stores to that first bite of a warm, fresh bagel — we want it to feel special.
What I’m most proud of is our legacy. We’re known as The Bagel That Won the West, and we’ve truly lived up to that name. Over the years, we’ve grown and evolved with the times, but we’ve never sacrificed the quality or the heart that built this brand. At the end of the day, we’re still that same family business that just loves making great bagels for great people.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
For me, it’s simple — never procrastinate, always keep your word, and make sure your customers can count on you. Our customers never have to worry about not having bagels, and that reliability has been a huge part of our success.
I also believe persistence is everything. You’ve got to be willing to work harder, think faster, and adapt quicker than anyone else. Running a family business teaches you a lot about resilience, humility, and respecting the people you work with. And honestly, passion is what ties it all together. When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work — it feels like purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://westernbagel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westernbagel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WesternBagel
Image Credits
Western Bagel
