# PopUp Bagels

PopUp Bagels is an American-based boutique bagel franchise started in the founder's Connecticut kitchen during the summer of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Originally opened as a pop-up for locals to meet and pick-up bagel orders, it now has established retail and franchise locations along the East Coast.

## History

PopUp Bagels was started in the summer of 2020 by cousins Adam Goldberg and Jeff Lewis in Westport, Connecticut. They began baking as a pandemic hobby but given the heat of the summer decided "it's too hot to make sourdough, let's try bagels". The cousins reviewed different recipes, looking for those that created bagels that were "compact, with a clearly defined crust and a generous coating of seeds." Goldberg started by giving away the bagels to his friends and family, choosing parking lots around the Connecticut town to gather. After a few months, he saw an increased and steady demand for the bagels, so he decided to make it a business, beginning with pop-ups around his home in Westport. Customers would have to preorder their bagels and cream cheese in orders of three, six, or twelve.

### Rise to fame

Goldberg started with a subscription service, mainly serving bagels by the dozen for $38. The service offered familiar and creative cream cheese flavors—or schmears—such as pesto butter or cacio e pepe. Speaking with Entrepreneur.com, Goldberg recounted the speed at which consumers purchased the bagels: "We were selling out our bagels in a matter of seconds online in advance and we had people who were subscribing every week. They would guarantee they'd get a dozen bagels because they didn't want to get sold out in the preorder system."
The first permanent store location was in Westport, Connecticut. Goldberg then started with pop-ups around the New York City metro area, where customers might wait in hour-long lines. The brand's tagline is "Not famous but known," acknowledging their startup roots. Bagels are served unsliced with a tub of cream cheese so customers can "grip, rip and dip." The brand's growth was boosted by a heavy social media presence, with customers filming their taste tests, reviews, or experiences waiting in line. On November 1, 2024, PopUp Bagels appointed a new CEO and announced they would move to a franchising strategy.

### Accolades

PopUp Bagels has been featured in The New York Times and named the "#1 bagel in New York City by multiple publications." PopUp Bagels has also won the "Best Bagel" award for two years at the Brooklyn BagelFest.

### Locations

PopUp Bagels has multiple permanent and seasonal locations in Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, and New York.
* Connecticut: Greenwich, Newtown, Westport, and Fairfield
* Florida: Palm Beach
* Massachusetts: Boston and Wellesley
* New York: Downtown New York City, the Upper Westside, Upper Eastside, East Hampton, and Roslyn

## Business Strategy
### Products, Services, and Brand Personality

Whereas bagels are traditionally boiled in a kettle and baked in a hearth, PopUp's bagels are boiled in a large stockpot and then baked in a convection oven. While speaking with The New York Times, Goldberg said this cooking method is best for a rotating business. Additionally, the menu is kept compact. PopUp only sells bagels, flavored kinds of butter, and cream cheese, with the butter cream cheese rotating weekly. As a growing business, Goldberg spoke of wanting to minimize waste costs, which means not selling sides or bagels as sandwiches like other bagel chains.
PopUp Bagels states they prioritize the "pure joy of a freshly baked bagel". In an interview in Entrepreneur.com, Goldberg highlighted the importance of customer satisfaction, stating: "We like to take care of our customers [and] take care of our community that shows up for us." Goldberg stated he wanted customers to be encouraged to take and share pictures on social media.

### Business ventures and changes

Some of PopUp's newest investors include athletes Michael Phelps and JJ Watt, as well as actor Paul Rudd. Investor John Davis contributed the initial necessary funding that allowed PopUp to open permanent locations in Connecticut and New York. In November 2024, it finished an $8 million series B funding round headed by the New York City-based equity firm Stripes. This second funding round was meant to expand its brick-and-mortar presence.
On November 1, 2024, PopUp Bagels announced two significant changes to its future operations. Former Moe's Southwest Grill chief brand officer Tory Bartlett was appointed as the incoming CEO, with founder Adam Goldberg becoming PopUp's chief brand officer. Bartlett alluded to a coffee program in the works, but no further information has been provided.