A typical day for Michael Discon starts around 2:30 a.m. when he wakes up to begin baking fresh bagels from scratch for his family-owned business — 4 Brothers NY Bagels. When the store opens, he is busy working behind the counter, making bagel orders and greeting patrons with a smile on his face.

The New York native started his bagel business in his home kitchen, and it has since grown into a family-owned shop with multiple locations across the Houston area. His most recent store, which had its grand opening on Nov. 1, is located at Century Square. The shop features 26 bagel flavors and 15 hand-spun cream cheeses made fresh daily, along with various breakfast options, sandwiches and pastries.

One of nine siblings, Discon said he comes from a close family, and food was an integral part of his childhood. Although he and his siblings were raised in New York, all four Discon brothers now reside in Houston. He recalled working in butcher shops as a kid and cooking every Sunday with his mom for family dinner. Discon chose the name for his business as an homage to his close relationship with his family. 

“We’ve been in the food business a long time,” Discon said. “We’ve always been around delis and pizzerias and butcher shops. We’re Italian, so food is always very prevalent in our life.”

Discon has owned and operated several businesses, from finance and construction to Boar’s Head deli meats distribution. The idea for 4 Brothers NY Bagels began when he moved to Houston in 2019 and tried a local bagel shop. Fresh from New York, he said he knew what a good bagel was and was left disappointed.

“Six years ago, I knew nothing about bagels, really,” Discon said. “So I went into that bagel shop and, literally, a light bulb went off in my head. I left that store that day, got on the phone with my friend in New York who does bagels, and I said, ‘Hey, man, how hard is it to do bagels?’”

Discon began developing his recipe using a countertop mixer and hand-rolling bagels with his son. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he began selling bagels at farmers’ markets, and the growing business resulted in Discon transforming his garage into a commercial kitchen. 

“We did whatever we had to do to make the bagels, and I was selling out,” Discon said. “Every time I went to these farmers’ markets, I was selling out in less than an hour, no matter how much I brought.”

Discon said the success of his product hit home for him a few months into working at those farmers’ markets. He said that one day he went, and before he had even set up the tent, there was a line, and he was wondering what they were all waiting for. 

“Dude, they’re waiting on your bagel,” he recalled the neighboring vendor saying.

“So it was very humbling, you know, it was very cool to have that many people right away be that interested,” Discon said. “And I said, ‘I’m gonna have a go of it, man.’”

After attaining a cottage license and finding success at farmers’ markets, Discon had the opportunity to open his first 4 Brothers NY Bagels location as a coffee and bagel kiosk inside of an H-E-B location in Cypress in 2021. Three more locations in the Houston area opened in the following years, and College Station now marks the fifth. He said his business produces over 30,000 bagels a week across his five locations.

“I have a big vision,” Discon said. “I think we have one of the best bagels around, period. I mean, I’ll put my bagel against anybody.”

For Discon, the heart of the business isn’t just in his product — it’s in the people. Even with five busy locations, he takes pride in building lasting relationships with regulars and remembering their “usual,” believing that great customer service keeps his shops thriving.

“For me, it’s not about the money, it’s more about the people and the journey,” Discon said. “I know half their orders before they even order it. You want them to be customers forever. All this, this is what I live for.”

Discon writes his goals down in yellow legal pads almost every day and said he has been doing it for 30 years; his plan was to finally scratch off the words “College Station” that have been immortalized in his notebooks for years after his grand opening in Aggieland — and now he can.

“College Station has been on my goal list since 2022, and I’m very happy to say I haven’t scratched it off the list yet,” Discon said. “I scratched off Fairfield, I scratched off H-E-B, I scratched off getting to certain numbers, I’m going to be very emotional about it.”

Discon said that one of the most important aspects of business is being able to give back. Beyond bagels, his business supports the local community and nonprofits, namely donating to Coffee for the Troops. Discon said he has donated over 300 pounds of coffee to troops last year, and has previously sent coffee to troops overseas.

“Those are the things that drive me, and I consider those pivotal,” Discon said. “It just gives me more fuel to continue to strive to be better and to make my product and to push it out there to the world.”

Discon explained that running a business in today’s market is a constant balancing act between location, labor and costs. For him, success comes from valuing people and staying vigilant about every financial decision, from payroll to which vendor to buy ingredients from that week.

“I put my people before profits,” Discon said. “I overpay people because I know quality people cost money, and good labor isn’t cheap, and cheap labor isn’t good. You’ve got to find that sweet spot.”

From cleaning toilets to scrubbing the floors, Discon said there is nothing in the store he would ask an employee to do that he has not already done. According to Discon, owners should lead by example for employees in their business.

“We treat people the way we want to be treated, you know, that’s how I was always taught,” Discon said. “So I think with keeping that motto where you treat people with love, respect and great food, great coffee, I think the sky’s the limit with that.”