Bringing NY Style bagels to Tampa Bay

My name is Matt aka the Baked Bearded Baker and I love bagels. That’s why I’m opening a bagel shop in Tampa. With so many New York transplants in Florida, finding a good New York-style bagel is hard. I’m trying to make that easier by bringing bagels to the bay. My small bakery will create community and good bagels.

Over the years, I’ve learned so much from the baking community, my supporters, and the countless lessons from my flour-covered journey. And now, I’m thrilled to announce the next big step:

Baygulls Bakery is coming to Tampa Bay in 2025!

We’ll be serving up handcrafted NY-style bagels made with quality ingredients and a lot of love. This bakery is the culmination of authenticity and love to bring a taste of tradition to the Bay while building community around bread, well bagels!

How Your Donation Helps Baygulls Take Flight

Your support isn’t just a donation—it’s an investment in a community-driven bakery that brings people together over fresh, high-quality, NY-style bagels. Every contribution helps Baygulls rise and make this dream a reality.

Here’s how your donation makes a difference:

Remodeling & Renovations – Transforming our Tampa Bay location into a welcoming, cozy bakery where people can gather, enjoy fresh bagels, and feel at home. Your support helps cover flooring, lighting, seating, and layout improvements to create the perfect neighborhood spot.

Equipment Purchases – From high-quality ovens to bagel kettles, dough mixers, and pastry sheeters, your contribution helps us invest in the tools needed to craft the best bagels, breads, and pastries from scratch every day.

Ingredient Sourcing – We’re committed to using high-quality, organic, and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Your donation ensures we can stock up on premium flours, fresh produce, and specialty ingredients to bring the best flavors to Tampa Bay.

Sustainable Packaging & Branding – We believe in eco-friendly practices and strong brand identity. Donations contribute to sustainable packaging options, branded merchandise, and signage that make Baygulls stand out while reducing our environmental footprint.

Supporting Our Team & Growth – In the early days, it’s all hands on deck! Your generosity allows us to bring on additional bakers, baristas, and front-of-house staff to ensure excellent service, while also covering training and fair wages.

Grand Opening & Community Events – A bakery is more than just a place to grab a bagel—it’s a community hub. With your support, we can host our soft opening, customer appreciation days, and future events that bring people together over great food and great company.

Every little bit helps, and every donation—big or small—brings us one step closer to making Baygulls a reality. Let’s build this bakery together!

I’d be so grateful if you’d join me on this journey:

Follow us @baygullsbakery to stay updated on Baygulls’ progress, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes.

Subscribe at out website and Join the flock! Stay up-to-date, get exclusive offers, and our launch date.

Together, let’s make 2025 the year of the bagel!

Please note that no raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to my GoFundMe