Meet Steve Ustin | President of Western Bagel

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steve Ustin and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets us apart from other businesses is our total commitment to our business, to our customers, and to our employees.
One thing that gives us the most pride is the fact that we have been a family-owned business for over 75 years and have successfully competed against some of the largest bakeries in the country. We continue to grow year after year. It is difficult to run a business today, and we have a unique passion for what we do. My parents taught me to be a hard worker and to do whatever it takes to achieve success. I am very fortunate that my son Jeff has the passion and work ethic that I have. He runs the day-to-day operation now and is doing a great job.
We have had many ups and downs over all these years, and the best advice I can give to anyone is that when things get tough, you must fight harder! Never give up and learn from your experiences. Always treat people with respect and treat them how you want to be treated. Never promise anyone something that you cannot deliver. All our customers know that we will always take care of them, and they don’t have to worry about us filling their orders. This gives them more time to do what they need to do to run their business.
We want the world to know that we have been in business for over 75 years. We are here for our customers to fulfill all their needs. They will always get the quality they deserve from us. We have a strong team, and the Ustin family plans to be in the bagel business for many generations. I have grandchildren who are learning the business, and we are extremely excited about the future. Western Bagel is here for you!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would plan it during the Dodgers and Lakers seasons, so that we could attend games. We’d visit Pink’s Hot Dogs, The Magic Castle, and Brent’s Deli.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Our loyal and dedicated management team and our long-term employees who helped get us to where we are today (24/7). I want to thank our CPA, Steve Gelon, who has always been there for us during good times and bad times. He has helped us navigate banks and any other financial situations we have dealt with over the years!
I want to especially thank my wife, Charlene, who has stood by me and always has my back 24/7. I have had many sleepless nights over the years, and it’s always comforting to know I can always talk to her and hear what advice she has to give. It’s always good to hear what she has to say because sometimes she has a different perspective than I was thinking.

Website: https://westernbagel.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westernbagel/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/western-bagel-9153774b/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WesternBagel/

Image Credits
Photo credits to Western Bagel
