A viral new bagel spot is popping up in Santa Barbara.
PopUp Bagels—famous for their “grip, rip and dip” style bagels and Instagrammable cream cheese flavors—will join Five Points Shopping Center this autumn.
The restaurant made its West Coast debut in November of last year, first coming to San Diego and then Los Angeles. PopUp originated in Connecticut as a 2020 pandemic project, then quickly took over the New York City bagel scene by drawing long lines to multiple neighborhoods.
“There’s real value in that kind of visibility,” said Kristen Miller, president of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce. “When people are willing to visit Santa Barbara specifically to experience a business they’ve seen online, that creates an opportunity for them to discover everything else our community has to offer.”
Though few details have been released about the new location, signage is up at 3925 State Street—the former site of Blaze Pizza. A PopUp Bagels marketing director told the News-Press they are targeting for a mid-fall opening in an email.
Miller said the coming restaurant is a positive sign for the economic vitality of Five Points Shopping Center. She hopes PopUp Bagels will ignite economic growth in the area.
“When a business has a strong following and gives people another reason to visit a commercial center, that can create additional foot traffic and opportunities for neighboring businesses as well,” Miller said. “From a Chamber perspective, we want to see that kind of momentum throughout Santa Barbara.”
Local food influencer Andi Schloss, known on Instagram as @andieatssb, said she is excited for PopUp Bagels to come to Santa Barbara, based on what she’s tasted in Los Angeles. She noted that this area of town has no bagel-only spots, and Five Points Shopping Center is convenient for neighbors from San Roque to Noleta.
“While I prefer local joints, I’ll take it!” Schloss said.
She explained PopUp’s “wild” business plan that pairs efficiently with their long lines. Customers must order a minimum of three bagels and a tub of cream cheese, or “schmear” on the side. They don’t offer pre-made bagel sandwiches or other combinations.
PopUp’s smaller than average, chewy and crispy bagels come in basic flavors, but the real draw is their cream cheese flavors, which change weekly and often feature partnerships with other brands. Previously, they partnered with Grillo’s Pickles, Mike’s Hot Honey and created a custom flavor with the Jonas Brothers. They also recently partnered with Love Island contestant Jenn Terry.
Schloss noted that some locals may be opposed to the “LA vibe” PopUp may bring to Santa Barbara, disrupting the local business ecosystem. To prevent this, Schloss hopes PopUp employs locals instead of bringing in teams from Los Angeles.
“We aren’t very ‘gimmicky’ in this town, so I wonder if PopUp’s viral marketing will work as well here, or if it will feel forced,” Schloss said. “Maybe a better location would be closer to UCSB or even in Montecito where they’re a little more used to the LA vibe.”
Santa Barbara’s local bagel spots include Mother Dough, Yetz’s, Jack’s, IV Bagel Cafe, Bagel Market, and more. Schloss said she feels that the culture in Santa Barbara leans toward supporting these local businesses over chains. However, the novelty of famous chains will undoubtedly bring a financial boost the city can’t pass up.
“It’d be great to see the city boost their support of local shops vs chains,” Schloss said. “But in the meantime, we support small when we can and take what we can get!”
