PopUp Bagels has signed a lease at 2018 Cameron St. in Raleigh's Village District, marking the viral bagel chain's first foray into the Triangle and its latest expansion move across the Carolinas. The space, formerly home to Kale Me Crazy, now carries a $425,000 renovation permit, though the company has not announced an opening date.
The lease signing was first reported by WhatNow, which notes that Raleigh will become PopUp Bagels' latest Carolinas market as the company continues an aggressive multistate rollout. Founded by Adam Goldberg, the chain began in Westport, Connecticut, and has grown to approximately 49 locations across 18 states and Washington, D.C., per Triangle Business Journal. The Raleigh filing shows renovation work spanning framing, interior finishes, millwork, and equipment installation, signaling the buildout is already underway even without a public timeline.
A Waitlisted Shopping Center Gets a Buzzy New Tenant
Landing space in the Village District is no small feat. The center, owned and managed by Regency Centers, maintains a waitlist of retailers interested in securing space there, according to Triangle Business Journal. PopUp Bagels will join existing tenants including Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, MyEyeDr., Village Deli and Grill, and Charlotte's, filling a retail corridor that has become one of the Triangle's most in-demand.
The shopping center itself carries significant local history. First opened in 1949 by developers J.W. York and R.A. Bryan, it is historically recognized as the first planned suburban shopping development built between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, according to North Carolina History. Regency Centers officially renamed the complex from Cameron Village to Village District in January 2021 to sever historical ties with 19th-century slaveholder Duncan Cameron, as reported by Blue Ridge Public Radio.
Upscale Investment Meets Local Turnover
The Village District is also in the middle of significant modern commercial investment, including construction of the Oberlin Hotel, a Curio Collection by Hilton property featuring the rooftop Southern restaurant Wren, according to Raleigh Magazine. That upscale push is unfolding alongside notable dining turnover inside the center. Cafe Carolina & Bakery, a 30-year legacy tenant, announced it would permanently close its final Raleigh spot on August 31, 2026, as Hoodline previously reported.
PopUp Bagels' arrival fits a familiar pattern for the brand: moving into high-demand retail centers as long-standing local businesses depart. The company has followed a similar playbook elsewhere in North Carolina, having made its state debut in October 2025 at The Bowl at Ballantyne in Charlotte before opening a second Charlotte-area shop in Plaza Midwood in July, giving it two Charlotte locations already in operation.
Grip, Rip and Dip: What Makes PopUp Different
PopUp Bagels centers its experience around what it calls the “grip, rip and dip” format, selling bagels by the bag rather than offering custom sandwiches. The menu includes plain, poppy seed, sesame, and everything bagels alongside salt bagels, paired with spreads like plain cream cheese, scallion cream cheese, salted butter, and brown sugar cinnamon butter. The shop also offers smoked salmon, plus drinks including hot drip coffee, cold brew, orange juice, iced tea, lemonade, and strawberry lemonade.
That same no-frills, high-turnover model has powered the chain's expansion elsewhere in the Carolinas. The company entered the South Carolina market on July 3, opening a storefront on Mary Street in Charleston under franchisee Braxton DeCamp, the first of more than five planned locations in that state, according to the Post and Courier. That Charleston shop operates on the same takeout-focused system, selling hot whole bagels in multi-packs without on-site toasting or sandwich customization.
The rapid regional buildout is part of a much larger national push. Industry expansion data shows PopUp Bagels pursuing a target of up to 300 locations nationwide, backed by a corporate valuation exceeding $50 million as of 2025, according to BagelFest. The brand built its early reputation by winning “Best Bagel” honors at the Brooklyn BagelFest in both 2021 and 2022, credibility that helped fuel its viral rise before it began signing leases in shopping centers like Raleigh's Village District. Whether Triangle bagel fans embrace the no-slicing, no-sandwich format the way Charlotte and Charleston shoppers have remains to be seen, since no opening date for the Cameron Street location has been announced.
