Brooklyn-style bagels are heading straight for Bulldog country. Bagels & Co., a fast-growing bagel chain with New York roots, is planning its first Georgia café at Rambler Athens this fall after signing a lease for a ground-floor retail space just off the University of Georgia campus. The shop is expected to bring a student-focused breakfast and lunch option to downtown, with a grab-and-go rhythm plus indoor and outdoor seating for students and nearby workers.
LV Collective announced that Bagels & Co. will take over a 2,111-square-foot space at Rambler Athens and that this will be the chain’s first Georgia location, with a projected opening starting in fall 2026, according to LV Collective. "Bagels & Co. is excited to expand our partnership with Rambler as we enter a new state," CEO Kevin Armantrout said in the release. The Athens café is slated to serve Brooklyn-style bagels baked on-site, 25 varieties of schmears, La Colombe coffee and a full lineup of breakfast and lunch sandwiches.
Where the shop will go
The café is set for a ground-floor unit at Rambler Athens, 558 W. Broad St., a new student housing development steps from campus that emphasizes walkability and on-site retail, according to the property’s website. Rambler promotes those retail spaces as part of daily life for residents and visitors, with quick access to downtown restaurants and UGA facilities. Being essentially wrapped by student housing is a core part of why this site was chosen.
What to expect from the menu
Bagels & Co. leans heavily into its Brooklyn-style identity, complete with a large “Schmear Case” and a roster of signature breakfast and lunch sandwiches, a setup the company has been tailoring for campus neighborhoods. The brand highlights online ordering, grab-and-go service and catering as standard parts of its playbook, especially near universities. For a closer look at the current offerings and other locations, check the menu and site at Bagels & Co..
How this fits into Athens’ bagel scene
Athens is not exactly a bagel desert already. Downtown staple Athens Bagel Company has long anchored the local scene, and Ideal Bagel Company serves customers on West Broad, giving students and residents several choices. That existing network, along with steady campus demand, could help Bagels & Co. build regular foot traffic while turning up the competitive heat. Local diners and business owners have been watching Rambler’s retail signings as a signal that downtown options are continuing to thicken.
Rambler’s retail lineup and next steps
LV Collective’s announcement also names other incoming tenants at Rambler Athens: Daydreamer coffee, Meltwich and Glosse Nails. It also notes that Bagels & Co. previously signed on at Rambler Columbus near The Ohio State University, pointing to a campus-focused rollout strategy, per LV Collective. MSC broker Matt Stein represented both sides in the lease, according to the release, and developers expect tenant build-outs to move forward over the summer. Local hiring and a firm grand opening date are expected to be announced as construction wraps.
When to expect a grand opening
Both the developer and the chain say the Athens café is planned to open in fall 2026, and the lease signing was first reported on July 12, 2026. For the initial coverage of the announcement, see Online Athens.
