Oh Mie Stelle! Bakery offers locally made bagels on Aiken's Southside

Dede Biles, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·2 min read

May 23—After selling her bagels at the Aiken County Farmers Market and enjoying success, Crissy Kuhl moved recently to a business location of her own.

On May 6, Kuhl opened Oh Mie Stelle! Bakery in the Village at Whiskey Shopping Center on Aiken's Southside.

"I am not a baker by trade," she said. "I just started baking and then I decided I really wanted to perfect a bagel recipe. It took six months to develop the basic recipe, and then I added flavors and created different varieties."

Kuhl is a project manager at the Savannah River Site and so is her husband, Steve. They plan to continue to work there because Kuhl is putting together a team to assist in the operation of Oh Mie Stelle! Bakery.

"I am the owner, but Steve is very much involved in the process," Kuhl said. "He helps me."

Steve's Italian grandmother was the inspiration for the bakery's name.

"He was in a family of six children and as the kids were growing up, she would yell, 'Oh mie stelle' when she got frustrated with them," Kuhl said. "That was a fond memory for him."

The English translation of the phrase is "oh my stars."

The bagel options offered at Oh Mie Stelle! Bakery vary and include plain, everything, salt, sesame seed, poppy seed, blueberry, jalapeño cheddar and chocolate.

"We do what we call a 'cinnabagel,' which has cinnamon sugar rolled inside the bagel and also on the outside," Kuhl said. "We also do a cheese-filled bagel and a caramelized onion and garlic bagel."

Scones also are available.

In addition, customers can purchase coffee and tea, and Kuhl wants to start selling Italian sodas soon.

Eventually, she would like to expand Oh Mie Stelle! Bakery's offerings to include croissants, cinnamon rolls and other kinds of bread.

"I love dough and bread in general," she said. "Bread brings people together and creates a sense of community. It's a basic nutritional element around the world, and it's something that needs to be shared. I would rather let other people do cakes and cookies."

Oh Mie Stelle! Bakery is at 969 Pine Log Road and is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

Kuhl hopes to add Fridays to the schedule in the near future.

For more information, visit ohmiestelle.com or call 803-989-4676.

The bakery also has a Facebook page.