PARK CITY, Utah — This summer, Kimball Junction will welcome a new hotspot: The Bagel Den. Owned by Matt Johnston from Midway, the eatery started in Heber, expanded to Provo, and now Park City will be its third location.
The opportunity arose when Park City Roasters decided to focus solely on coffee roasting, creating an opening for Johnston, who was looking to expand. A phone call sealed the deal. “I called my wife and told her, ‘I think we just took over the Park City Roasters space!’” Johnston recalled.
Johnston immediately began renovating the space, adding new floors, paint, and lighting. His aim was to create a clean, open environment for people to gather, eat, and work. A cozy lounge area, separated from the main dining space, allows customers to enjoy a bagel sandwich, a cup of Park City Roasters coffee, and catch up on work or emails.
“The back room is all my wife’s design,” Johnston said. “It will have couches and lounge chairs, so people can meet or work on their laptops.”
Johnston’s passion is the bagels. Though he keeps his dough source a secret, he shared that it comes from the East Coast. “It’s proprietary dough,” he said. “No one else in this area can get it.”
The Bagel Den bakes its bagels in-house throughout the day, ensuring freshness until the last batch comes out at 3 p.m. Customers can choose from 19 bagel flavors and 8 in-house cream cheeses. The menu also includes breakfast bagels, lunch sandwiches, smoothies, and a full espresso bar.
Johnston’s upstate New York roots inspire his commitment to quality bagels and sandwiches. He attributes his success to his dedicated employees, promoting from within to staff the Park City location. His son, Devin, will help manage the new store. Johnston offers his team paid vacation, medical benefits, free food during work, discounts when off duty, and a flexible approach to work-life balance, especially on powder days.
“I understand the importance of skiing and work reliability,” Johnston said. “I always tell my team to plan their schedules around the weather.”
The Bagel Den is set to open in mid-June, and Johnston is eager to see his vision come to life.
“I managed a bagel shop in Park City years ago,” Johnston said. “Now I can proudly tell my friends and family that I have my own in Park City.”