Popular Connecticut bagel chain opens 1st Georgia store on the Atlanta Beltline
An internet-famous bagel chain that's all about sharing and considers itself "not famous, but known," is popping up on the Atlanta Beltline.
It's called PopUp Bagels, and its business model is designed for offices, friend groups, and anyone who believes food is better when it's shared.
The PopUp Bagels team, based in New York City, made its way to The A to launch Georgia's first-ever store.
They gave CBS News Atlanta Mornings a preview of the store the day before their Friday grand opening.
"We sell community," said founder Adam Goldberg, "Let's grab a bag of bagels, stuff them on the table, and rip in. Maybe I'll have a little of your schmear. You'll have a little of my schmear, and we'll all just schmear together."
The schmear is part of their signature selling point. It's a bowl of cream cheese, original or flavored, that comes with your order of three, six, or 12 bagels.
The point is to rip the bagels, reveal their hot, fluffy interior, and dip them into the schmear.
There are two flavored schmears sold on a weekly rotating menu in addition to the three standard flavors of plain, salted butter, and scallion. The Atlanta store opens with a peach-flavored schmear, an exclusive temporary third option.
"It's definitely like a social experiment," said Janvi Patel, owner of the Atlanta shop, "It's like so nice to just like grab like six people, get a dozen bagels, and try shmears. It's just it's exciting."
PopUp managers say more stores are coming to the area, with the next set to open in Buckhead, then another in Dunwoody.
The Beltline store is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and stays open until 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.