Bagel Brand That’s Gone Viral Elsewhere Is About To Open In North Loop
As the signs have gone up outside, and now, workers have started training inside, one of the new owners of PopUp Bagels in North Loop had to put up a temporary sign this week.
It reads, “Not Open Yet, See you November 6th.” So many eager people have been stopping by, hoping to get in.
“People have been knocking on the doors and I’d say unfortunately, we’ve had to turn away almost a thousand people over the last few months who have been like, ‘hey, when are you guys opening?’,” said co-owner Dan D’Aquisto. “I just felt bad.”
PopUp’s popularity is largely fueled by social media influencers, checking out the company’s simple “Grip, Rip & Dip” principle.
The hot bagels are unsliced and meant to be ripped apart and dipped into a generous container of either flavored butter or cream cheese.
Even the experience of waiting in line is meant to be entertaining, with music and occasional giveaways.
“It’s really centered around the hospitality when they come in,” said D’Aquisto. “It’s dancing, singing. We yell ‘hot bagels!’ every time the bagels come out of the oven. It’s a really fun experience.”
Smereczniak and D’Aquisto
D’Aquisto and his long-time friend and business partner, Alex Smereczniak, are the co-owners of this franchise–the first in Minnesota. They’re native Minnesotans who’ve been living in North Carolina and built a successful laundry franchise there when they were in their 20s.
But D’Aquisto and his wife decided to move back home to Minnesota when she became pregnant. Dan knew he wanted to open a franchise here, and PopUp Bagels was one of the hottest brands.
“And whenever I ask people, ‘Hey, where are the coolest neighborhoods?’ Like everyone said, ‘the North Loop,'” he said. “There’s lots of residential, people walking. There’s just a lot of places where people like to hang out and explore and are outside and then, good food. We love being near good food.”
PopUp will be open from 6am-3pm starting Friday, November 6th. For a limited time, they’ll offer a spicy sour cream and cheddar cream cheese, in partnership with Old Dutch.
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer