Mo's Bagels and Deli Celebrates: One Year Anniversary at Their Hallandale Beach Location

Last year, Mohamed and his business partner Paul Kruss expanded to Hallandale Beach and are celebrating their first anniversary on December 20th, 2021 at the Broward location on 800 East Hallandale Beach Boulevard.

It was a lifelong dream for Mohamed who was born and raised in Egypt, he moved to the United States in 1984 when he was 21 years old.

"With all the money I had saved up and sold everything, I was able to open up Mo's Bagels and Deli in Aventura 26 years ago," Mohamed said. "It was a risk that I took, and if I didn't make it, I just didn't make it. I invested my money in the right business."

Mohamed said the first few years of the business was kind of rough since he was on his own.

"You don't build a restaurant in one night," he said. "There were some tough times, but we got through them."

He previously had two business partners before he and Kruss formed a partnership in 2001.

Mohamed worked in New York Style Bagel and Deli Shops before landing a position at Bagel Cove which is across the street from his Aventura restaurant.

Mohamed said he was made a Junior Partner but wanted more: owning his own restaurant and making the vast majority of the decisions on how to run the business.

His dream became well-founded.

After acquiring the money to start Mo's Bagel and Deli, Mohamed said he renovated the location so the place could have a seating capacity of 160.

The Hallandale restaurant has a 120-seating capacity.

Mohamed said “Mo's Bagel and Deli’s menu is the hottest around town and his customers keep coming back for more.”

He serves up a variety of Plain, Sesame Seed, Onion, Raisin, Cinnamon, Poppy and Pumpernickel ​​Bagels.

They are delicious and customers love to sink their teeth into Mo's Philly Cheesesteak, White Fish and Tuna, Corned Beef, Turkey and Smoked Fish Sandwiches on Bread or Wraps.

Also on the menu are Seafood Salad, Brisket and Beef.

Mohamed said the Tuna Salad is the most popular dish.

Why?

"Everything we have is great quality," he said. "It's not all about the bagels, people like the Tuna Salad. People come from Boca Raton to eat our Tuna Salad because they find it better than any other restaurant."

Mohamed said the secret to his success is that the customers come back for more and buy quality products.

"Unlike other restaurants, I never look for the cheap stuff to save money," he said. "I don't cheat the customers out of quality products. I buy and sell the best."

The customers and the ambiance are very important to Mohamed.

The restaurant draws a similarity to the NBC Sitcom Cheers and the show's theme song "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" is the same theme for his customers.

Mohamed said he goes out of his way to make his customers happy and if they are feeling down, the food will bring them back up. He loves to listen to his customers when they talk.

"I love my customers and I get to know them," he said. "Without the customers, there would be no Mo's Bagels and Deli. Without the customers, there wouldn't be Mohamed."

Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman and Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper are regular customers of Mo’s Bagels and Deli.

Mohamed said he worked at his father's supermarket in Egypt when he was a kid, he said that he learned everything he needed to know to someday run a business.

When he arrived in the U.S. in 1984, he began his quest but needed more experience to operate his own business by working in Bagel Shops and Delis.

There, he learned that customer satisfaction is a top priority in running a successful business.

Mohamed said the quality while preparing the foods is also important.

"When your customers come back, you are doing something right," he said. "Your restaurant's success is based on how satisfied your customers are."

When it was time for Mohamed to venture out on his own, his goal was to make Mo's Bagels and Deli the best Jewish-Style Restaurant in town.

He said his two sons, 19 year old Amir Mohamed and 17 year old Andrew Mohamed help him with the business since he is not technology savvy like them.

"They spent days and nights helping me sometimes seven days a week," he said. "They love the business and we all have the same ideas for the Restaurant."

Mohamed said that both of his sons are now in college and he encouraged them to pursue their own career goals.

He said it would make him proud if they go into the Restaurant business.

"I will not take them away from college to work with me," he said. "Whatever careers they choose I will be happy for them."

After Mohamed had a falling out with his last business partner, he was looking for another one and asked Paul Kruss to join him.

62 year old Paul Kruss said he first knew Mohamed when he and his family often ate at Bagel Cove.

They followed him when he opened up Mo's Bagel and Deli.

Paul said at the time, he sold wholesale auto parts and was in the distribution of homemade foods and desserts.

He made the move and the partnership has been the picture of bliss ever since.

"We always are friendly partners and we love to make our customers happy," said Paul.

Paul also said that he and Mohamed come from different backgrounds as he was born in Venezuela.

"Our backgrounds say a lot about us and our partnership," Paul said. "Customers from different backgrounds and generations come here to support us."

He noted that the Tuna Salad is very popular with the customers and so is the Corned Beef.

"It's lean but tasty," Paul said. "A lot of our dishes are extremely popular and we make our own Bagels which are receiving recognition constantly."

Mohamed said expanding in Hallandale Beach was a good idea.

He said new shopping centers and high rises near the beaches were going up in Hallandale Beach and Hollywood.

Mohamed said the two cities didn't have a Jewish Style Deli and that other Delis don't have the same quality of food as his.

"If we didn't do it someone else would've done it," he said.

Paul said one of his friends offered the spot for the Hallandale Beach location.

Despite the Coronavirus Pandemic, the location did well.

"COVID-19 was still a problem and it made it a challenge for us," he said. “But it was successful and the business is growing.”

Mohamed and Paul are not only business partners but they are also active in the community.

Mohamed has donated food to local schools activities, organizations and helps them with their fundraising efforts.

Paul is involved with the community and wants to further help by serving in the Political Office.

Paul said that he’s running for a seat on the Aventura City Commission next year.

Mo’s Bagel & Deli: 2780 NE 187th Street Aventura, Fl 33160 • 305-936-8555

Mo’s Bagel & Deli: 800 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd., Hallandale Beach, Fl 33009 • 954-833-0080