From the mountains of Guatemala to the shores of Newnan’s Lake, the impact of a small Gainesville bagel shop stretches far beyond its front counter.
The Bagel Bakery has become a model of community-driven business, supporting Guatemalan coffee farmers through long standing relationships while investing in local organizations like Gainesville Area Rowing and YoungLife. Under original owner Ken Rembert and now new owner Jason Cole, that mission has remained the same: use a simple business to create meaningful change, both across the world and right at home.
The mission began in 1999, when Rembert opened the Bagel Bakery after the sale of his father’s convenience store left him searching for his next step. Originally operating under the Chesapeake Bagel franchise, Rembert later bought out his agreement and transitioned the shop into an independent business.
The Bagel Bakery has grown into a staple in Gainesville, often packed on Sunday afternoons with lines stretching out the door and into the street.
But the secret to its success isn’t just the bagels, it’s the sense of community and service that keeps customers coming back.
One of the most impactful examples of that mission is its long-standing relationship with a village in Guatemala, located nearly nine hours from the capital.
The idea began at a kids’ soccer game, where Rembert’s friend, Paul Emery, a missionary in Guatemala, suggested they take a father-son trip to the region.
“While we were up in the mountains with missionaries from Hope Bible Mission, I said, ‘If you guys can organize the coffee, I'll buy it from you. I have a bagel shop; I'll buy a roaster and start roasting.’ And they did,” Rembert said. “They organized the farmers, and it turned out to be a really strong region for coffee.”
Since that moment, Rembert has traveled to Guatemala at least once a year, building lasting relationships with the people in the village.
“It's one of my favorite weeks of the year. The people I talked to when I go back, I've known for 20 years, ” Rembert said.
Through that relationship, Rembert launched his own coffee brand, Rembrandt Coffee, using the beans sourced from the village. When customers walk into the Bagel Bakery, there is a shelf full of Rembrandt coffee beans that you can buy, and proceeds support the village.
At its core, Rembert’s approach to service is simple.
“It’s really good when you can find something that benefits other people but is also incorporated into your day-to-day work,” Rembert said. “It just happens. It’s not like you’re putting an extra effort to raise funds to create a good for somebody, it’s in what we do.”
It’s an others-focused approach, integrating opportunities to serve into the fabric of the business. For Rembert, having a platform means using it for good. That same philosophy extends to his support of YoungLife, a Christian ministry focused on mentoring and reaching middle school, high school and college students.
For years, Rembert has generously opened Bagel Bakery after hours to host Gainesville High School YoungLife gatherings. On Monday nights, the space comes alive with high school students laughing, singing, and coming together in community.
“A fun part is every once in a while, a customer would come by the day after club and say ‘Hey Ken, do you know there were people in your store last night?’” Rembert said. “I would look at them and go, ‘No, really?’ and smile. I love to have them there on a Monday night.”
To Rembert hosting the Gainesville High students has been one of the most fulfilling things he’s supported.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of YoungLife leaders with the key to my store out there,” he said.
Most business owners can be nervous letting a group of unsupervised college and high school kids be in their space on a Monday night. But not Rembert. Instead, he goes against the grain. He even leaves the soda station open for the students.
Rembert’s successor shares a similar mindset. Jason Cole had been a loyal customer of Bagel Bakery for 13 years before approaching Rembert with ideas for the store. This conversation eventually led to a discussion about Rembert’s interest in selling the business, which became official in March 2025 when Cole purchased Bagel Bakery.
“The transition from Ken to Jason was so easy and seamless that we didn't even notice. We were worried that Jason wasn't going to let us meet there, but he was so kind and didn’t even question it,” Caroline Byrd, a Gainesville High School YoungLife leader, said.
What makes Cole’s purchase especially meaningful is his commitment to preserving the integrity and quality of service that have long defined the business.
“The most important thing to me was to keep the connection with the Guatemalan village alive and do that right off the bat,” Cole said. “I was never going to change that because of the quality and the mission that Ken had in building it.”
Cole also wanted to make sure to keep letting YoungLife meet there on Monday night because that is part of the Bagel Bakery’s involvement in the community and people ‘expect that.’ He approached ownership with a clear mission: to emphasize continuity rather than change. Recognizing the success of what Rembert had built, he chose to preserve those foundations while thoughtfully building upon them.
One of Cole’s newest initiatives is expanding the bakery’s involvement in youth sports in Gainesville, further strengthening its connection to the local community.
Cole has a deep personal connection to youth athletics. Over the course of 12 years, his two sons and nephew all rowed for Gainesville Area Rowing, during which Cole spent hours cooking for the athletes and driving kids thousands of miles all over the country for competitions. Over the years, the organization has grown a special place in Cole’s heart.
Motivated by this connection, Cole decided to donate 1% of gross sales from Bagel Bakery to youth sports in Gainesville. Since May, the Bagel Bakery has raised over $15,000 in support of local youth athletics.
“One of the biggest impacts is just this ongoing support and connection, which can never be understated, particularly in a time in a society where communities don't tend to be as linked as they used to be,” Mary Kay Carodine, the president of Gainesville Area Rowing said. “This feels like a genuine, authentic investment on both sides. It's valuable, and we appreciate all of that.”
Gainesville Area Rowing is a nonprofit organization that relies on the support of the community and in less than a year, Cole and Bagel Bakery have made a huge difference in the rowing community. Youth sports can be an expensive activity for many families and organizations, especially in the rowing community. A new boat can cost anywhere between $30,000 and $60,000. That’s where Cole comes in.
“We were able to buy a new boat, and then within a year or two, we'll be able to move on to the next boat. That's just solely off of what Jason's given us,” Garrett Bauer, the head coach of Gainesville Area Rowing said.
In rowing, the quality of the boat is critically important. A high-quality shell not only enhances performance but also gives skilled rowers the opportunity to maximize their speed and efficiency on the water.
“Having Jason to be able to supplement a little bit of that, allows all the work that these kids are putting in to actually pay off and not be limited by the boat that they have to where they can perform the best they can,” Bauer said.
Last year, Gainesville Area Rowing sent three boats to nationals, with one earning a silver medal. Thanks to the support of Bagel Bakery, even the funds to purchase a single new boat can make a lasting impact for years to come. Having the right equipment allows athletes to perform at their highest potential, opening doors to athletic scholarships and educational opportunities. With proper resources, these rowers are set up for greater success both on and off the water.
“For me, I can sleep easier at night. I know that our team and our community have the best opportunity of performing well,” Carodine said.
The Bagel Bakery and Cole support Gainesville Area Rowing not only financially but also by helping raise awareness of the sport in the community. Cole generously offers his space for youth rowers to set up tables outside the bakery during regattas and allows them to display flyers inside, helping the team connect with more people in Gainesville.
“Having a member of the community like Jason to be able to kind of give us a little bit of a face at a relatively popular restaurant in Gainesville is awesome,” Bauer said.
The athletes even gifted Cole one of their old shells, which now hangs proudly in the store. Beside it is a photo of Cole’s youngest son, accompanied by a message that highlights what rowing means to Cole.
The Bagel Bakery proves something simple: sometimes the most meaningful impact doesn’t come from grand gestures, but from what’s built into the everyday – one cup of coffee, one open door and one community at a time.