Georgetown is about to get a lot toastier. PopUp Bagels, the Connecticut-born chain known for serving whole, hot bagels and those viral “grip, rip and dip” videos, is opening its first D.C. shop this Friday at 1078 Wisconsin Ave NW. The new location brings a twist to the brand’s usual grab-and-go style, with PopUp debuting its first-ever second-floor seating area and a small patio. The menu sticks to the stripped-down formula, though: bagels sold by the bag with rotating schmears, not sliced sandwiches.
Store owner Brian Harrington told WTOP that Georgetown’s steady stream of nearby college students helped seal the deal on the location, noting, “Our clientele skews a little bit younger than a typical bagel shop.” Harrington said PopUp is “strictly about bagels and schmears” and will lean into its signature move: hot bagels straight from the oven with schmear on the side for that grip, rip and dip moment. WTOP also reports that PopUp now operates more than 20 locations from Maine to California and is already eyeing additional D.C.-area spots, including a Bethesda outpost.
Grand Opening And Menu
According to Washingtonian, the Georgetown shop will kick things off at 8 a.m. on Friday with a full grand opening setup that includes a DJ and giveaways from local partners. The piece notes that the menu is intentionally tight: five bagel varieties with schmears that rotate weekly. Three bagels and one schmear are sold together as a unit for about $15. Washingtonian also points out a mural over the counter that nods to the Potomac and rowing culture, plus outdoor seating for anyone who wants to linger instead of grabbing a bag and bolting.
How PopUp Fits The D.C. Bagel Scene
PopUp is jumping into an already crowded D.C. bagel field, but it is arriving with a hefty dose of social-media buzz and star power. Eater DC notes that celebrity fans such as Paul Rudd and Michael Phelps have helped fuel the brand’s rise from small pop-ups in Westport to a national footprint. That quick expansion, paired with a steady stream of TikTok and Instagram clips showing the grip, rip and dip ritual, has turned many PopUp debuts into line-generating events. Now, neighborhood staples like Call Your Mother and Bethesda Bagels will share Georgetown with another fresh-baked contender.
Earlier neighborhood chatter had circled March 27 as the debut date, as reported by The Georgetowner, but public announcements ultimately shifted the opening into April. Operators say the extra time likely went into fine-tuning the two-story layout and finishing the planned mural inside the space…