PopUp Bagels opened in Ardmore with an exclusive schmear and lots of hype
The Suburban Square store, located in the former Juice Press, marked the brand’s first foray into the Philly area.
It was as if Beatlemania had hit Suburban Square — if The Beatles were a Gen Z-endorsed boutique bagel franchise known for crispy bakes and specialty schmears.
PopUp Bagels, the fast-growing, viral bagel chain, opened in Ardmore on Friday.
The Suburban Square store, located in the former Juice Press, marked the brand’s first foray into the Philly area.
While most of the Main Line was crawling out of bed and reaching for their first cup of coffee, the PopUp Bagels party was in full swing. By 7:30 a.m., over 100 eager patrons stood in a line stretching halfway down the block. Some filmed TikToks. Others donned trucker hats with the signature PopUp slogan: “Not Famous but Known.” At one point, the crowd did the wave.
PopUp’s signature is its “Grip, Rip, and Dip” ethos. These bagels aren’t for slicing, they’re for eating fresh out of the bag, ripped into small pieces and dunked in the schmear of your choice. Bagels can be purchased in sets of three, six, or 12 with 7-ounce containers of dips, which include plain and flavored cream cheeses and butters. The bagels are crisp and fluffy, a departure from denser, New York style bagels.
The brand has a buzzy social media presence and is known for building hype (an Instagram post previewing the Ardmore opening racked up more than 7,000 likes). There are now around two-dozen PopUp Bagel locations across the U.S., with multiple outposts in Florida, New York, and Connecticut, where the brand was founded by Adam Goldberg. The chain hopes to reach 100 locations by the end of 2027.
The Ardmore store is owned by franchisee Brian Harrington of Montgomery County. Harrington’s firm Seeded Capital Partners soon plans to open shops in Center City, Marlton, and the Princeton area.
Standing in the ever-growing line, Rachel Harris, 24, said the online community that has developed around PopUp Bagels endeared her to the brand, which she tried for the first time in New York City. Because she works from home on Fridays, Harris decided to make the drive from Manayunk for a pre-work PopUp run.
For Jenna Miele, 27, it was “Friday Treat” day — the Havertown resident’s proud tradition of buying a little something special (usually from a coffee shop) on Fridays. After seeing PopUp Bagels TikTok videos, Miele figured there’d be no better place to kick off the weekend. She had been waiting in line for around an hour by the time she got close enough to place an order.
PopUp’s Philly fans have been “highly anticipating” the Ardmore opening, according to Harrington.
Harrington said he chose Suburban Square because it’s already home to many of the things PopUp’s core customers like — stores like Lululemon and Sephora, accessible parking, inviting outdoor seating.
“It just made a lot of sense for us,” Harrington said.
Ardmore’s PopUp Bagels is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day. Pre-orders can be placed online here.
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