We asked one of our business borrowers if he would share his story with you, the donors and supporters of Hebrew Free Loan that make stories like Brett’s possible. This is his story, in his own words.
Brett Frankel was just looking for a decent bagel.
“I went on a ‘bagel mission’,” Brett, the founder of Bart’s Bagels, recalls. “I traveled around the country to learn.”
While the adventure in learning to make the best possible bagel took him to spots in Denver and Detroit, in addition to classic NYC hotspots like Zabar’s and H&H Bagels, the hunt for a business loan was another story.
“At the time we were opening our first location, we were looking for as many grants and loans as possible,” he reflects. Securing a loan as a new business owner with no track record to speak of was difficult and often impersonal. New business owners invest so much of themselves into the companies they’re launching, yet are often met with cold, bureaucratic processes in trying to secure the financing to bring those businesses to life.
That was Brett’s experience up until he discovered Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia. The connection made the challenging start-up period a little bit easier.
“It wasn’t like working with a bank (give me your tax returns, etc.). It seemed like HFL really cared about what was going on.”
For a business owner who’s trying to build something lasting, that care makes all the difference.
“I had enrolled in the Wharton Small Business Development program. With those resources I wrote a business plan, and that’s what led me to this. Our executive chef comes from a fine dining background, and helps us make this in-house.” Securing funding meant Brett could focus on what he really wanted to do: bring great bagels to Philly.
“It was so nice to get the financing we needed to help with equipment in order to open. It was a smooth process from start to finish.”
From 2014-2025, HFL lent $748,000 to 50 businesses, and the need is only growing.
We’re excited to be hosting a Food Tour on April 26 featuring local restaurants supported by interest-free loans: 48th Street Grille, Bart’s Bagels, Downtown Cheese, and FaceClock. Spaces are limited to 35 participants, and they are selling fast! Register to join us here.
It’s the community that makes interest-free loans possible, and fuels the work of folks like Brett. As he shared, “I really appreciate the community approach HFL has – focusing on more than just the numbers.” Now, the community can join us for the Food Tour and taste what’s possible.
The Bart’s Bagels website describes their food as “how bagels used to be, and how bagels should be.” We feel the same way about interest-free loans. That’s how they used to be. And how they should be, too.