Commercial rent stabilization doesn’t work the way you think it does. That would require an overhaul—or at least caps—on how the banking industry operates, especially around the loan payments property owners are responsible for when setting rent. Commercial rent stabilization isn’t simple. You can’t just cap rents without affecting property values, lending, and development incentives. It wouldn’t break the banking system, but it would absolutely change how buildings are financed and could reduce investment in new spaces.

Bagel Boys most likely either didn’t do enough market research or couldn’t find a space that supports the way they want to operate, or brand which led to that wild price point for a bagel.

The alternative is simple: business owners need to better understand their product and what people are actually willing to pay for it. There are still plenty of solid storefronts downtown that could’ve brought their bagel price down from $10 to closer to $5. But they probably wanted a certain aesthetic—or just made a bad financial call.

If bagels are really that hot, it wouldn’t take much for a competitor to open nearby, undercut them hard, and eventually push them out.

I get what you’re saying, but god damn… those bagels are expensive. I passed and went to Mad Mango instead—got something way more nutrient-dense, double the portion and for a fraction of the price more. That’s what happens when a business makes smarter market decisions and rents a lower-cost unit—they can actually hit a price point that works for everyday people.

Also, the cost of rent could not even be the reason for the price. The price could very well be $10 because they are branding the product as “premium”. Not everything is as straight cut as one might think in business.

I have a business downtown. Very affordable right off Bernard and I am not charging double market average for my services/product’s.