This Kailua Shop Brings Montreal-Style Bagels to Oʻahu
Empty Elle Bagels features Hawaiʻi-grown ingredients on its smaller, sweeter bagels.
May 13, 2021
Tim Veling has always loved bagels but he got hooked on Montreal-style bagels while in New Zealand, eating at the famous Best Ugly.
For years he thought about opening a bagel shop on Oʻahu that specializes in the sweeter, smaller bagels Montreal is known for.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Veling, who had been working at Hawaiian Airlines, decided to go for it. He was already running Grace in Growlers, a charitable craft beer tasting room in Kailua on Oʻahu’s windward side, with his wife, Holly. So after six months of testing and pop-ups, Veling perfected the recipe, finalized the concept and ordered a custom retro-style camper out of which he serves his hand-rolled bagels.