Loyola alumnus Brendan Dodd, A’16, has built a reputation in Loyola and Tulane’s communities, delivering free bagels to friends and strangers alike.

Bike deliveries are not an unusual sight in bustling New Orleans, but one former Loyola student saw an opportunity to make a name for himself as a delivery man for the people.

An employee of Freret Street’s Humble Bagel during the day and a Jimmy John’s delivery driver at night, Dodd has become revered in the last two years for delivering the day’s surplus of bagels from Humble Bagel to hungry denizens of Loyola, Tulane and beyond.

Dodd explained he couldn’t believe the bagels not sold throughout the day were set to be thrown in
the trash.

“We might make 400 to 500 bagels in-house every day over the summer, and sometimes they will completely sell out, but the owners let me take the remainder home with me in trash bags, so I thought: Why not share some with my friends?” Dodd said.

Taking to the Tulane Classifieds Facebook page, identifying himself as “Bagel Boy,” Dodd announced a delivery run through town, heeding the call of hungry commenters and gladly accepting tips, but never expecting them.

Dodd noted it’s a great way to stay active and energized in his downtime, a much-needed energy boost in a week consisting of two to three double shifts. He mentioned that he has not turned down a challenge to deliver outside of Uptown.

“I’ve biked all the way down to Esplanade Avenue to deliver a bag of bagels a few times, which is exhausting, but really satisfying,” Dodd said.

Loyola students have voiced their appreciation for Bagel Boy’s patronage, saying he’s welcome presence in their lives.

Avery Bell, music junior, found his deliveries always come at the right time.

“He’s just a really generous, kind guy all around; he seems to deliver right as I’m the hungriest or the most pressed for cash. I can absolutely see why people react to his deliveries so positively,” Bell said.

Mari Nerbovig, music therapy and psychology junior, explained why she found Dodd’s efforts to be so unique and refreshing.

“Brendan has been offering not only bagels, but his own time and energy by delivering it to strangers he may never see again and may never pay him. I think the community has recognized that, and people are truly appreciative that this kind service is ongoing,” Nerbovig said.

When asked if his employers were upset at all by the service, Dodd laughed and said the owners of Humble Bagel, Tara and Casey Mackintosh, were more than happy to see a proactive use for the bagels that didn’t sell.

“A lot of times I’ll leave work in my Humble Bagel shirt, so riding around and letting people sample the product works really well in their favor as free advertising,” Dodd explained.

The shop’s hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels are available in a limited amount of different varieties throughout the day, ranging from the usual suspects of poppy and garlic, to more surprising additions like chocolate chip and king
cake flavors.

Dodd maintains that his favorite bagel is the salt bagel, with enough fresh sauteed vegetables to make for a filling lunch sandwich.

Bagel Boy Brendan Dodd enjoys filming a series of vlogs when he’s not biking from one location to the next. He encourages people to subscribe to his Youtube channel and to keep up with him on the Tulane Classifieds Facebook page, where he continues to announce his deliveries.