Local Spotlight: Where Ranson, WV Locals Grab Their Morning Coffee and Bagels

Ranson isn’t a loud town.

The mornings start slow here — soft light over the Blue Ridge, pickup trucks humming to life, a few early joggers threading through tree-lined neighborhoods.

It’s a place where people still wave from their porches, and neighbors know your dog’s name even if they can’t quite remember yours. And for more than a decade, one familiar ritual has become part of this town’s waking rhythm: heading to Bagel Chicks Bakery.

If you want to know what’s really happening in Ranson, don’t go scrolling. Just stand in line at Bagel Chicks on a Tuesday morning.

You’ll catch the gossip, the laughter, the quick hugs between regulars. You’ll hear someone ask the girl behind the counter how her finals went. Someone else mentions a bake sale. There’s always talk about the weather, the school board, and whether or not the cream cheese guy came through with today’s delivery.

This is where Ranson starts its day, and what makes this corner bakery so special isn’t just the bagels — it’s the people who walk through its door every morning.

Every neighborhood has its regulars, but at Bagel Chicks, the regulars feel more like an ensemble cast in a long-running series. There’s the retired couple that splits a plain bagel and sits by the window, reading the paper and quietly arguing about the crossword. A group of teachers from Jefferson High files in just after the morning bell. A sheriff’s deputy grabs three breakfast sandwiches to go — two for the road, one for whoever he meets first. A group of runners in neon gear cool down outside with cold brews and egg sandwiches in hand.

Then there’s the early-shift crews from the hospital and local utility companies — bleary-eyed but always grateful, getting a little warmth before their day takes off. No one makes a fuss. Everyone belongs.

Jackie and Kat, the duo behind Bagel Chicks, know these customers like family. And they’re treated that way.

From Walmart Plaza to the heart of the town

Back when the shop was still known as Royalicious and tucked into a nondescript strip near the Walmart, it already had a cult following. But the rebranding in 2025 as Bagel Chicks Bakery marked more than a name change. It brought a fresh energy to the space — still rooted in tradition, still honoring the legacy of the Costantino family, but designed for the growing and changing face of Jefferson County.

Inside, the atmosphere strikes a chord between stylish and cozy. You’ll see modern tile work behind the counter, reclaimed wood along the window sills, and the kind of lighting that makes your bagel look like it belongs in a magazine — even if you’re just scarfing it down in your hoodie and work boots.

There’s no drive-thru. No buzzer. Just the slow unfolding of a real morning, the kind that stays with you long after the coffee’s gone.