PopUp Bagels To Open North Loop Location In November
The new shop will challenge local service norms by prohibiting slicing and toasting for all of its menu items.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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PopUp Bagels will open its first Minneapolis location in the North Loop on November 6, 2026. The shop introduces an unconventional service model that prohibits slicing or toasting, requiring customers to use a proprietary dip-based consumption method.
Why it matters
This expansion represents a shift toward specialized, limited-menu food retail models that prioritize specific operational workflows over traditional full-service offerings. For local operators, the brand's arrival tests market demand for a rigid, simplified service environment in a competitive food scene.
The new storefront at 107 3rd Av. N. is the first step in a broader six-state expansion plan for the brand. The business maintains a limited menu consisting only of everything, poppy, sesame, plain, and salt bagel options.
The players
Dan D'Aquisto
A business partner behind the Minneapolis franchise who secured the expansion through demonstrated franchising experience.
Alex Smereczniak
A business partner overseeing the brand's local market entry and expansion strategy.
The details
The business operates on a non-traditional service model that explicitly excludes slicing, toasting, or sandwich assembly. Instead, the company utilizes a 'grip, rip, and dip' protocol where patrons consume products with individual containers of flavored butter or cream cheese. Partners Dan D'Aquisto and Alex Smereczniak secured the franchise expansion by leveraging their previous experience to meet the company's operating requirements.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: The North Loop location officially opens for business.
Market Landscape
This opening follows the broader trend of limited-menu food retail concepts that simplify back-of-house operations to drive high-margin throughput. The entry of PopUp Bagels into Minneapolis marks an expansion of this retail specialization model into the Midwest market.
Operators should monitor whether this highly specific service model maintains high transaction volumes once the initial market novelty fades. The rigid, low-labor service structure may offer a benchmark for labor efficiency in specialized food retail.
The takeaway
The move demonstrates how specialized, limited-menu brands attempt to scale by stripping out traditional food preparation steps. Business owners should track the store's performance to gauge whether local consumer demand favors such operational minimalism over traditional full-service bagel shop expectations.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts, visit the Openings & Closings section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Star Tribune.
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