CARTERET – A bagel shop owned by a father-son duo with a bagel legacy has opened in the borough.The grand opening of Roosevelt Bagel Factory, 695 Roosevelt Ave. across the street from Nathan Hale Elementary School, was held late last month with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.The breakfast and lunch business is owned by Charlie Morello Jr., who also owns Charlie’s Bagel & Deli in Woodbridge, and Charlie Morello Sr., who has years of kitchen experience.“It’s a family business, a father-and-son operat...
CARTERET – A bagel shop owned by a father-son duo with a bagel legacy has opened in the borough.
The grand opening of Roosevelt Bagel Factory, 695 Roosevelt Ave. across the street from Nathan Hale Elementary School, was held late last month with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The breakfast and lunch business is owned by Charlie Morello Jr., who also owns Charlie’s Bagel & Deli in Woodbridge, and Charlie Morello Sr., who has years of kitchen experience.
“It’s a family business, a father-and-son operation that reflects culture, hard work and pride, and features fresh bagels, loaded breakfast sandwiches, and more,” stated Mayor Dan Reiman.
"Many of the residents and workers in Carteret have been longing for a great bagel shop and deli and now have one in the Roosevelt Bagel Factory, adding immensely to our local business community," the mayor continued.
The menu includes bagels along with salads; hot, cold and club sandwiches; quesadillas; fat sandwiches; chopped cheese sandwiches and more.
The younger Morello saw the need for a bagel shop in Carteret.
“People were always traveling out of town to my Woodbridge location just to get a good bagel,” he said. “It definitely motivated me to open Roosevelt Bagel Factory and bring something fresh and new to the community. Carteret is a growing town with great people, and I saw the potential right away. I wanted to be part of something that was growing and contribute to a community that could truly benefit from what we offer."
A Metuchen resident of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, Morello Jr. was born in Harlem and moved to New Jersey at a young age. He’s been working to build business for his family − one bagel at a time.
“I’m here every day working hard and getting to know the town and its people,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for Carteret and definitely feel connected to the community. I know what it’s like to build a life through hard work and dedication, and that spirit is what I bring into my business.”
Morello Jr. said he takes a great deal of direction from his father, who has worked in kitchens for many years.
“It’s always been a family operation from the very beginning. We’ve built everything through hard work and strong family values,” said the son who has a 7-month-old daughter. “Balancing a brand-new business and a newborn hasn’t been easy, but I’m truly thankful for my wife’s strength and support throughout it all. Everything I’m building now is for our family’s future, and hopefully one day, she’ll be part of it too.”