Largo Bagel Shop Owner is a Throwback to a Bygone Era

The term “old school” is thrown around so much nowadays it’s almost become obsolete itself. 

But sometimes the overused phrase is not just a tired cliché; it’s the only way you can think of to describe a person who not only grew up in another era but continues to utilize some of the practices and beliefs from that period. 

That’s definitely the case with Stew Medjuck, owner of on Belcher Road in Largo, a 45-year veteran of the bagel business who grew up in the heart of the bagel’s birthplace in America. 

“I’ve been making bagels since I was 16 years old, and I owned my own shop in Long Island when I was 21,” the 60-year-old New Yorker said. “I’ve been doing this a long time.” 

Medjuck learned his craft from his Ukrainian uncle, and his work ethic and dedication made him one of the most sought after bagel makers in the Big Apple.  

In those days — the 1950s, '60s and '70s — men got paid by how many bagels they could produce in the shortest amount of time. And there were no specialty machines available to make the job easier. 

So Medjuck learned how to slice dough and roll bagels with lightning quick speed, a talent that helped him bring in good money for that time.

“I would roll a hundred dozen bagels in just over a half hour. There were no machines, so you had to hustle.” 

"I wanted to be the fastest roller in New York, and I was at one time."

After relocating to Florida in 1986, Medjuck quickly realized there were no “real” bakeries in the area, so he opened his House of Bagels on Belcher and began to introduce Floridians to authentic, New York-style bagels. 

“When I came here I was one of three bagel shops in the entire area," he recalls. "They used to travel from New Port Richey to come get my bagels.” 

"Now they don’t have to travel, because they’ve got shops everywhere. But they use frozen stuff. I’m one of the few bakers still making fresh bagels daily.”

Indeed Medjuck still comes in to start baking at 3 am, and he does still make a handful of bagels using the old-school method of hand rolling. 

But he has made concessions to the modern era, using industrial-sized mixers and slicers that help him produce a more consistent product, and hopefully extend his career.

“This is a hard life. You’re supposed to have a strong back and a weak mind, but I have a strong mind and a weak back.” 

“But I love it. The thrill is still there. I’d love to do this until I’m 80.”

Address: 13469 Belcher Rd. S.

Phone: 727-531-9823

Hours: Daily, 6am - 1pm