Bakery display filled with bagels and pastries representing the roots, traditions, and story behind Bagel Chicks.
Every bagel story has a beginning.
Some start as trends, others as business ideas.
Ours started as a family tradition—one shaped by time, place, and an unbroken respect for doing things the right way. At Bagel Chicks, our roots are not a slogan or a retro story added later. They are the reason our bagels exist at all.
Going back in time
In 1932, Sam Costantino arrived in New York City from Sicily and opened a small family bakery. Like many immigrant bakeries of the time, it wasn’t about innovation or reinvention. It was about fundamentals. Bread and baked goods were made the way they were meant to be made, with patience, repetition, and care. Those values didn’t disappear when ownership changed hands. They were passed down.
Sam’s daughter, Constance Costantino, carried the bakery forward, preserving both the techniques and the expectations that came with them. Baking wasn’t treated as a job. It was a responsibility. That mindset shaped the next generation, including her son John Costantino, who grew up immersed in the rhythms of bakery life. Dough was mixed early. Ovens were watched closely. Quality was never optional.
Interior of Bagel Chicks bakery showcasing the traditions and roots that shaped the Bagel Chicks story.
By the early 1990s, John Costantino and his family had relocated to Germantown, Maryland, where they opened Royal Bagel Bakery in 1991. The shop quickly became a neighborhood staple, known for bagels that reflected true northern standards—proper chew, real structure, and a process that didn’t cut corners. These were not bagels designed to impress visually for a moment. They were designed to hold up, to satisfy, and to earn repeat visits.
Learn More: The Art of Bagel-Making at Bagel Chicks
That same commitment followed the family again when they moved south
In 2010, the Costantino family relocated to the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and opened Royalicious Bagel Bakery in Charles Town. For many locals, Royalicious became their first experience with authentic, traditional bagels made the way they were up north. The shop developed a loyal following not because it was flashy, but because it was consistent. People trusted what they were getting.
Fresh bagels on display highlighting the traditions and family roots behind the Bagel Chicks story.
Royalicious wasn’t a departure from the family’s history. It was a continuation of it.
In 2025, Jackie and Kat formally partnered and made a pivotal decision: Royalicious would be rebranded as Bagel Chicks. The change marked a new chapter, but not a new philosophy. The name evolved. The standards did not.
Bagel Chicks today
Today, Bagel Chicks operates locations in Martinsburg and Ranson, West Virginia, carrying forward nearly 100 years of baking tradition. The bagels are still hand-rolled. They are still kettle-boiled. The process still matters. What changed is the brand’s ability to tell its story clearly and to grow with intention, without sacrificing its roots.
Exterior of Bagel Chicks bakery representing the roots, traditions, and evolving story of Bagel Chicks.
The northern influence is still present in every detail. Bagels are judged by chew and structure, not size alone. Fermentation is respected. Boiling is non-negotiable. Consistency is protected, even on the busiest mornings. These are not nostalgic choices. They are practical ones, proven over generations.
Check Out: Weekend Rituals: Brunching at Bagel Chicks
A community of bagel lovers
Bagel Chicks’ history also explains its relationship with community. From New York to Maryland to West Virginia, the bakery has always functioned as part of daily life, not a special-occasion stop. Regulars matter. Familiar faces matter. Being dependable matters. That sense of continuity is what turns a bakery into a staple.
You can taste that history, even if you don’t know it. The bagel holds together. The texture feels intentional. The flavor doesn’t rely on excess. These are the quiet markers of a process shaped over time, not invented overnight.
Coffee and pastry at Bagel Chicks symbolizing the community, traditions, and roots behind the Bagel Chicks story.
To learn more about the menu, locations, and the story behind the bakery, visit Bagel Chicks.
Timeline of the Bagel Chicks story
1932 – Sam Costantino arrives in New York City from Sicily and opens a family bakery
1960s – Constance Costantino continues the family baking tradition
1991 – Royal Bagel Bakery opens in Germantown, Maryland under John Costantino
2010 – Royalicious Bagel Bakery opens in Charles Town, West Virginia
2015 – Debra Costantino passes away
2019 – Katheryn “Kat” Acker joins the bakery
2021 – John Costantino passes away; Jackie Costantino assumes full leadership
2025 – Royalicious is rebranded as Bagel Chicks Bakery under Jackie and Kat
Key takeaways
- Bagel Chicks is built on nearly a century of family baking tradition
- The business evolved through New York, Maryland, and West Virginia without abandoning its standards
- Royalicious was a continuation of the family legacy, not a starting point
- The Bagel Chicks rebrand represents growth with intention, not a break from the past
- Traditional methods remain central to every bagel made today
