My name is Asaf Agajan, but you can call me Asi. I’m an entrepreneur with a long-standing passion for hospitality and building customer-focused businesses. Throughout my career, I’ve been drawn to environments where service, quality, and strong operations come together — a mindset that ultimately shaped the foundation of Hazelnuts Creperie.

Before entering the restaurant industry, I owned and operated three retail apparel stores in New York City. Building that business gave me hands-on experience in site selection, staffing, inventory management, and the realities of running profitable brick-and-mortar locations in highly competitive markets. After the 2009 economic downturn, I saw an opportunity to reset and pursue my long-time interest in food and hospitality. The day after closing my retail business, I began exploring the restaurant industry and soon landed a job at a small crepe shop on Long Island.

It didn’t take long for me to see the potential in a focused, streamlined concept. I envisioned a modern creperie offering both sweet and savory crepes, high-quality espresso, and a clean, contemporary brand — all supported by efficient, scalable operations. That vision became Hazelnuts Creperie in 2012.

The first location opened in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, in a space with modest foot traffic. In the early years, I worked hands-on in every part of the operation — cooking, training, working with vendors, refining the menu, and introducing the brand to the community. Growth was steady and driven by constant improvements in systems, consistency, and execution. Over time, loyal guests followed, and the business developed a strong foundation.

I eventually expanded Hazelnuts Creperie to four locations across Charlotte, including 7th Street Public Market and Blakeney Shopping Center. This growth helped strengthen our training programs, cost controls, and multi-unit operating systems.

Then came the pandemic. In 2020, I led the company through one of its toughest chapters, making difficult decisions to protect the long-term health of the business. We ultimately closed three locations, allowing us to stabilize and refocus on our strongest-performing store at Blakeney Shopping Center. Rather than weakening the brand, the experience reinforced the importance of disciplined growth, strong unit economics, and resilient operations.

Today, Hazelnuts Creperie is a refined and proven platform shaped by both growth and adversity. I remain deeply involved in the brand and look forward to working closely with franchise partners, offering not just a concept, but real-world experience, transparency, and practical guidance. The brand is built for owner-operators who value strong systems, thoughtful growth, and long-term sustainability.