Two things Dave Scott, founder of Dave’s Bagels, isn’t going to tell you: (A.) The name of his baby daughter, who is due any day. And (B.) The new name of Dave’s Bagels.
Changing diapers and changing his business name are both in Scott’s future.
Dave’s Bagels is going strong. “I am in 26 different places around town, including Grind City Grocery, Miss Cordelia’s [Cordelia’s Market], High Point and South Point Grocery, The Curb Market,” says Scott, 32.
“I’ve got clients in Hernando, Southaven, and West Memphis. I supply the Southland Casino.”
So, why change the name? “Basically, I started talking with Kroger and they’re interested in having my product,” he says, adding, “When I was going over the plans with my business partner and with the co-packers, one thing that kept getting brought up was ‘Dave’s Killer Bread.’ Our names being ‘Dave’ and both using them as the business name. A bit too similar and could cause issues about branding and trademarking.”
He never got a letter from Oregon-based Dave’s Killer Bread, but Scott says, “If we end up on the same shelf together, that logo could cause an issue.”
Changing the name isn’t a bad thing. “It’s very exciting. It feels like a bit of a fresh start with it. I get to be a bit more creative with it. The reason I named it ‘Dave’s Bagels’ was because I didn’t have a name before I got to the business department in city hall and filled out an application.”
Strangers don’t look at Scott and immediately think, “That guy is a bagel maker.” With his below shoulder-length curly hair, Scott looks more like a rock star, model, or actor. “Somebody at the farmer’s market a few weeks ago asked me how my new metal band was doing. That made me laugh pretty good.”
Ironically, Scott has played bass guitar since he was about 13. “I was in a couple of metal bands when I was a teenager.”
But, for now, it’s bagels and pretzels, not bands and performing.
A Morristown, New Jersey, native, Scott began making bagels similar to those he got in the Northeast. “I would ask for criticism and kept tweaking the recipe until we have what we have today.
“It’s just taken years and years of developing that recipe, using all traditional methods, and putting my own little twist on everything. I’m the first person to start putting all the toppings in the bagels, so it’s all the flavor and none of the mess.”
He began selling his bagels in Memphis after he relocated here in 2016.
Scott came up with his pretzel recipe in 2017 for a Wiseacre Brewing Company Oktoberfest event. “That pretzel dough is pretty close to bagel dough. I sold out in 45 minutes, maybe. Turns out pretzels and beer go very well together.”
Scott recently moved his business operation to a Tupelo, Mississippi, co-packing facility he heard about from Arbo’s Cheese Dip founder Andrew Arbogast. Scott helped build out the facility by putting in new flooring, doing all the electrical work, and more.
He was producing 10 to 15 cases at his old facility, but he’s now up to 20 cases. “I’ve slowed down a little bit in anticipation of the rebrand situation.”
But, he adds, “I’ve got the potential of doing 150 cases a week.”
Scott also slowed down in anticipation of the new baby. He and his wife, Markie Maloof, have been getting their house ready for the new member of the family. Scott completed all his tasks, including building new pantry shelves. “I finished those on Tuesday. I didn’t get out of my pajamas until 5 on Wednesday. It was my first day off in many months.”
There is one more thing Scott won’t reveal: new products he might be introducing. “We’ve got a few more ideas we’re bouncing around and experimenting with. Nothing I want to start talking about just yet.”
But Scott did give a hint: “We’ve got a few other bread varieties and product types coming out that will be pretty exciting. Just to diversify a bit.”
Stay tuned.