Celebrating Culture and Community at Los Bagels

In 1984, Southern California-born Dennis Rael was inspired to combine his cultural legacy inherited from his Latin father and his Jewish mother. The jalapeño bagel he dreamt of soon became a delicious reality. He came to Arcata to build his business, remembering Humboldt’s beauty from his years at Camp Unalayee in the Trinity Alps. Forty-two years later, the multicultural Los Bagels Café (1061 I St. Arcata, 707-822-3150) he founded with Peter Jermyn and former partner Paul Hebb is a local institution with two additional locations (Old Town, 403 Second St., Eureka, 707-442-8525; the Depot at Cal Poly Humboldt, 1 Harpst St., Arcata, 707-826-5308). Over the years, Rael and Jermyn were joined by partners John Monahan and Travis May, who is also the general manager. Susanville-born May and his wife moved to Humboldt almost 20 years ago so they could attend then Humboldt State University.

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