After years of stalled timelines and empty storefront windows, Penny's Bagels is closing in on an actual opening date for its shop at 212 Kings Highway East in downtown Haddonfield. The bagel shop, which missed target opening windows in both Spring 2024 and Spring 2025, is now targeting October 2026 for its long-awaited debut.
The projected fall timeline was reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer in a September 9 roundup forecasting nearly five dozen upcoming Philadelphia-area restaurant openings. As of Friday, per WhatNow, no official opening date had been announced. The shop is expected to serve homemade bagels in flavors including plain, everything, and poppy, along with schmears, according to the outlet.
A Retail Space Rebuilt From the Studs
Part of the reason for the extended timeline traces back to the building itself. The storefront previously housed Lunachick, a women's clothing store, and converting the retail space into a food preparation facility required extensive plumbing and electrical overhauls, according to reporting from WhatNow's local coverage. Retrofitting a boutique into a working bakery isn't a quick swap of signage — it demands new infrastructure built for commercial food service from the ground up.
That buildout followed a regulatory process that began well before construction crews arrived. Penny's Bagels received local municipal zoning and Camden County health department approvals in December 2024, then acquired its construction permits the following April, the same WhatNow report notes. Permitting and inspection schedules in historic downtowns like Haddonfield's often stretch commercial opening dates well beyond initial hopes.
A Bagel Giveaway to Say Thanks
With construction still underway, the team found a way to stay connected to the community it's hoped to serve for years. On July 3, during Haddonfield's Independence Day parade, Penny's Bagels held an open-house pop-up and handed out 250 limited-edition red, white, and blue bagels to residents, according to South Jersey Food Scene. The gesture served as a thank-you for the public's patience amid the long delays.
Once open, the shop plans to go beyond bagels baked daily on-site, also offering smoked fish, accompaniments, and fresh-brewed coffee, per coverage from MyPhillyAlive. WhatNow reports the shop has adopted a warm color palette with green and cream tones, and carries the tagline “Be a dear, add a schmear.” In a statement cited by WhatNow, Penny's Bagels said the shop cannot wait to share its love of bagels with Haddonfield friends.
Rebuilding After a Devastating Fire
Penny's Bagels marks the South Jersey expansion of Happy Monday Hospitality, the group led by husband-and-wife restaurateurs Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico along with operations director Susan Freeman, according to Philadelphia Magazine. The group's portfolio also includes WineDive, a wine-focused bar with a retro feel, and Sonny's, a neighborhood cocktail bar, per WhatNow. Also under the Happy Monday umbrella is Grace & Proper, a vintage-style corner bar serving beer, wine, and Southern European fare.
Happy Monday Hospitality's story unfolded amid a severe 2022 apartment fire and a years-long reorganization, Philadelphia Magazine reported. That fire shuttered Philadelphia venues including WineDive and Sonny's Cocktail Joint; the team later soft-launched Sonny's and planned a new WineDive location.
The rebuilding effort came with a hard goodbye. In January 2025, Fetfatzes and Annechiarico permanently closed their original flagship venue, Hawthornes Beer Cafe, after 15 years as a neighborhood brunch and craft beer hub in South Philadelphia, according to a separate Philadelphia Magazine report. The closure marked a strategic pivot toward developing new concepts across the Philadelphia region, including the cross-river bet now taking shape in Haddonfield.
Landing on a Busy Downtown Corridor
Whenever it does open, Penny's Bagels will land at 212 Kings Highway East in downtown Haddonfield. The address places the long-delayed bagel shop in the borough's downtown.
