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As any New Yorker knows, beloved bagel shop Russ & Daughters is deserving of Hollywood renown—and the East Houston eatery is finally getting the treatment it deserves: a new TV series about the family behind the institution is officially in the works.
Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper—cousins and fourth-generation owners of the shop—have entered a deal with Time Studios to create the scripted show that will take an in-depth look at the immigrant story that allowed Russ & Daughters to become such an important part of the city's culinary canon.
As New York legend has it, founder Joel Russ emigrated from what is now known as Poland to America in 1907. He started selling herring from a pushcart until he opened a brick-and-mortar Jewish deli in 1914. In 1920, the store moved to its current location at 179 East Houston and, since Joel didn't have any sons, he asked his three daughters—Hattie, Ida and Anne—to join the family business. Hence the name, Russ & Daughters.
"The story of Russ & Daughters—and the constellation of characters that make up our delicious world—spans over a century and is about perseverance, family, community and connection," the current owners said in an official joint statement first reported by Deadline.
There's clearly a lot to say about the 108-year-old business. Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe the likes of the Russ family are widely regarded as the first NYC bagel purveyors, having brought the food to this side of the Atlantic in the late 19th century. Although, at one point, New York was home to over 1,500 Jewish delis, there are now only about 20—including Russ & Daughters, whose smoked fish, bagels, bialys and schmears have become a go-to for locals and tourists alike.
Although specific details about the storyline are yet to be revealed, we're sure that the new scripted series will also explore the other eateries that Russ & Daughters gave rise to, including Russ & Daughters Cafe on Orchard Street (it's been there since 2014, marking the 100th anniversary of the company!) and the three-year-old Russ & Daughters Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
According to the New York Post, the show will likely be released in "about a year."
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