Macon Magazine

"The Soprano," which sings with spicy olive and pepper cream cheese, ham, prosciutto, sopressata, coppa, banana peppers, and sherry vinaigrette. Everything on the menu is homemade, from the whipped schmears to the sweet treats. McKinley Starks, a baker at Macon Bagels, said, "The joy of baking for us is not going from a box to a plate – it is from our hearts to their stomachs." The success of the shop caught Rademaker and Bone by surprise. They envisioned building an audience over a few years and did not originally anticipate needing to hire other employees so quickly. But on their first day, a line trailed out the door to the end of the block, and Macon Bagels was sold out in an hour. The owners soon found themselves in the position of being bosses and disappointing customers when they ran out of their doughy product each day. "The thing we try to do the most is always lead with kindness," Rademaker said about their leadership strategy. They learned from what they didn't like about other service industry jobs they've had, like not having a set schedule or an environment that seemed like a pressure cooker, and tried to model a different attitude for their employees. And when bagels run out, Rademaker likes to offer a nice word and suggest a different treat or to make it up on the next visit. The kindness approach has allowed the couple to get past the frazzle of the early weeks and food cost increases to the point where they are exploring their own work-life balance and developing long- term relationships with the community. They've grown their staff from two to six, and keep Maconites coming back. It's working, according to their employees. Starks enthused, "Even outside of the working environment, they're excited to see me, and I'm excited to see them." Starks said it's easy to stay at Macon Bagels because they value voluntary pay raises above market rate, working relationships that feel democratic, and support for outside passions. They credited Rademaker and Bone for seeing their employees as people first. The pair want the business to reflect their values. When a women's march for reproductive rights was happening two blocks away, the staff felt glum and wanted to help. "Do you want to just close now?" Rademaker asked the crew. They responded affirmatively, so everyone jumped into action, packing bagels to give the other protesters and creating homemade signs. Before leaving, one team member told Bone, "Thanks – I've never been able to participate in one of these before because I've always had to work." These types of interactions stick out as what they've been most proud of as entrepreneurs. Rademaker and Bone are starting to love living downtown and being part of the fabric of the central business district, where they patronize other establishments owned by people they know on a first- name basis. "That sense of ownership from Maconites is what makes downtown still feel real and different from any other place you can visit," Hopkins noted. This intimacy is exemplified by a moment when the couple recently walked into a downtown bar to be greeted raucously from other patrons, "Hey! It's the bagel people!" It was at that moment that Rademaker and Bone knew they were welcome. The rapid rise of Macon Bagels has already had investors ask about franchising or opening a second location, but the couple like the vibe they have created on Third Street and are in no rush to expand. Their upcoming ambitions? "Maybe a Cuban," Rademaker hinted with a grin. "Or a nice baguette." THE JOY OF BAKING FOR US IS NOT GOING FROM A BOX TO A PLATE – IT IS FROM OUR HEARTS TO THEIR STOMACHS." – MCKINLEY STARKS " FEBRUARY/MARCH 2023 | maconmagazine.com 65

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