Eleven years ago Jon Deason saw the need for a breakfast restaurant in downtown Auburn, and he fulfilled it.
Deason, who graduated from Auburn in 1999 with a degree in hotel and restaurant management, opened Big Blue Bagel in Auburn in May 2000.
However, his road to a successful business was not a conventional one.
"I left Auburn when I was 24 and still had two classes left to graduate," Deason said.
He moved back to Birmingham and worked for his father for three years when his mother was diagnosed with cancer.
Before his mother passed away, Deason came back to Auburn to finish his last two classes and graduate--something he wanted to do for her.
"After my mom passed away, I approached my dad about opening the restaurant," Deason said. "I was originally going to be the silent partner, but, as you can see, it didn't quite work out that way. So, it's just me now."
After 10 years of successful business in Auburn, Deason opened a second Big Blue Bagel location in his hometown, Birmingham, in January 2010.
Contrary to rumors over the past few years, he is not selling the Auburn location.
"I considered it about two years ago," Deason said, "but not anymore."
He is living full time in Auburn again after commuting between Auburn and Birmingham.
"Auburn always felt like home," Deason said.
Deason said Auburn has a special, small town feel.
"I always tell everybody Auburn's kind of like Mayberry, everybody knows everybody," Deason said. "I've been working between here and Birmingham for the last two years, so when I come back and the guy from the barber shop comes down and says he misses you or he's glad to see you, it's nice."
Deason describes himself as honest, trustworthy and someone who doesn't take himself too seriously. His employees have even higher praise for him.
"He's very laid back," said Alicia Degroot, senior in education, who has worked at Big Blue Bagel for four and a half years.
It also seems that he is taking notes from the barber a few doors down whenever it comes to making people feel welcome.
"He knows everybody," said Sara Jane Moorer, 18, who has worked at Big Blue Bagel for a year. "He personally greets everyone."
"Also, he probably has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met," said Degroot. "He genuinely cares. He's one of the best people I know."
Deason said there are challenges to being a small-business owner.
"It takes a lot of hard work," Deason said. "For the first four or five years, I was here every day. I missed a lot of weddings and stuff that made people not talk to me for awhile."
Besides running a successful business, Deason likes camping and canoeing. His love of nature instilled environmental awareness in him, which he has integrated into Big Blue Bagel.
"We recycle a lot of cardboard and plastic and anything else we can that the City will take," Deason said. "And we use no bottled drinks, not even for orange juice."
He also uses biodegradable cups and boxes, which are more expensive, but worth the effort.
Deason admits that one thing he is looking forward to now that he's back in Auburn is the more access he has to sports, specifically football and basketball.
But sports aren't the only thing he's looking forward to.
"I actually have a little daughter on the way," he said with an ear-to-ear smile.
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