PopUp Bagels To Pop Up in Harvard Square, Replacing Pokeworks

This fall, East Coast bagel chain PopUp Bagels will fill the hole left by Pokeworks in Harvard Square.

PopUp Bagels is set to open at 1440 Massachusetts Ave. after Pokeworks closes its doors later this year, according to Gazit Horizons, a building management firm.

Pokeworks — which opened in 2018 — currently leases their storefront on a month-to-month basis from Gazit Horizons, but PopUp Bagels will operate under a more desirable longer-term lease, according to Brian Harrington, the owner and operator of many PopUp Bagels franchise locations.

The manager of the Harvard Square Pokeworks location said he was unaware of the planned closure. Pokeworks did not respond to multiple requests for comment regarding the reason for the store’s closure.

The Pokeworks closing and PopUp Bagels opening has been met with both anticipation and sadness from students who noted the numerous bagel shops in the surrounding area. Students can currently source bagels from Bagelsaurus, Black Sheep Bagel Cafe, and Pavement Coffeehouse.

“I’m devastated,” Jenny E. Ng ’28 said. “We already have a bagel shop in the Square, and you’re closing the one only poke store? Like, hello?”

Poké-City, which is located near Porter Square, would be the nearest poke shop following the closure of Pokeworks.

Despite the competition from other bagel shops, Harrington — who owns the Seaport and Somerville PopUp Bagels locations — said that PopUp Bagels’s unique concept will allow it to penetrate the market.

Rather than purchasing a single bagel or bagel sandwich, PopUp Bagel customers choose at least three bagels and a tub of “schmear,” or cream cheese, making it easy to share with friends.

“We have a little bit different take on the bagel experience,” Harrington said. “We don’t make sandwiches. We don’t slice bagels. There’s no turkey. There’s no eggs. There’s no bacon. The bagel is the star of the show.”

“At PopUp, our ‘grip, rip, and dip’ philosophy applies at every one of our stores. We have amazing schmears that come on the side,” he added.

Many students said they are excited for PopUp Bagels’ convenient location in Harvard Square.

“I’m really excited for a new bagel store,” Prisha N. Sheth ’28 said. “I think it’s fun to have different places to try because, obviously, there’s a limited amount of different bagel options.”

“To quote Cynthia Erivo, ‘I didn’t know this was happening.’ I love it. I’m excited’,” Matthew M. Wehling ’28 said. “I think having another bagel shop right next to the Yard — rather than far away — in the Square is really exciting.”

PopUp Bagels was founded by Adam Goldberg in 2020. He first started selling bagels online from his kitchen in Connecticut, but its instant success quickly led to brick-and-mortar stores.

PopUp Bagels currently operates 13 stores in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, with two new locations opening in Cambridge and Somerville this year.

Harrington said that he chose Harvard Square for his next location given its “vibrant” residential, commercial, and industrial life.

“With the success that we’ve had in the Seaport, we think a natural progression was to go to other kinds of vibrant areas full of young people,” he said.

“We see so many Harvard students coming into the Seaport, so we know already that Harvard students love PopUp, and so first and foremost, we want to make it easier for them to get to us,” Harrington added.

Many students are excited for PopUp to bring new bagel flavors to Harvard Square and a new addition to their brunch routines.

“I just like the experience of getting a bagel. I think it’s a lovely way to start my mornings, especially on a Sunday, and I’m excited to have a new bagel place here,” Samantha M. Adams ’28 said.

“I totally agree with that,” Kaitlyn J. Ernst ’28 added. “I feel like a morning bagel run is like going to brunch, but without the same level of commitment.”

— Staff writer Jaya N. Karamcheti can be reached at jaya.karamcheti@thecrimson.com.

— Staff writer Kevin Zhong can be reached at kevin.zhong@thecrimson.com.