The Oceanside location marks the latest expansion for the East Coast-born “Not Famous, but Known” bagel concept, which has built a cult-like following nationwide through its unconventional “Grip, Rip and Dip” approach centered around serving hot, whole bagels fresh from the oven rather than sliced and toasted into traditional sandwiches.
The company’s arrival in North County follows the breakout success of its first San Diego location in La Jolla, which opened in late 2025 and quickly became one of the region’s most buzzed-about bakery openings, routinely generating long lines, social media virality, and frequent sellouts.
Operated locally by franchise partners Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall, collectively known as The Bagel Boyz, the Oceanside store represents the second step in what appears to be a broader San Diego County rollout strategy for the rapidly expanding brand. Goodman and Thall have positioned themselves as highly visible operators within San Diego’s increasingly competitive bagel landscape, blending influencer-style marketing, community engagement, and the intentionally minimalist PopUp Bagels model into a concept that has resonated strongly with Southern California consumers.
The new Oceanside shop takes over the former Blackmarket Bakery space within Freeman Collective, a mixed-use development near the intersection of Vista Way and South Coast Highway that has experienced significant tenant turnover over the past year. Blackmarket Bakery abruptly shuttered its Oceanside café in 2025 amid bankruptcy proceedings that ultimately led to the closure of the once-prominent Southern California bakery chain. More recently, neighboring tenant HomeState also announced plans to exit the development, underscoring the rapidly shifting dynamics within the high-profile North County project.
PopUp Bagels’ arrival adds another high-demand food concept to Freeman Collective while continuing Oceanside’s broader transformation into one of San Diego County’s most active restaurant and hospitality corridors. The brand, originally founded by Adam Goldberg in Westport, Connecticut in 2021, has rapidly expanded nationwide with locations opening across California, New York, Florida, Maine, and North Carolina, fueled largely by social media hype and a stripped-down operating philosophy focused almost entirely on bagels and rotating cream cheese flavors known as schmears.
To celebrate the Oceanside debut, PopUp Bagels is partnering with San Diego celebrity chef Brian Malarkey on a limited-time Blackberry Jalapeño Crunch Schmear that will be available exclusively at the Oceanside and La Jolla locations during the launch period. The collaboration adds another layer of local culinary star power to the opening while reinforcing the company’s strategy of partnering with chefs, tastemakers, and high-profile personalities to generate momentum around new store openings.
The Oceanside grand opening celebration is scheduled for Friday, May 22, from 8am to 11am, though representatives note the opening date remains slightly subject to change pending final construction timelines. Customers can expect the same signature experience that helped propel the La Jolla shop into one of San Diego’s hottest bakery destinations: freshly baked bagels with crisp crusts and soft interiors served hot and whole for tearing and dipping rather than traditional sandwich preparation.
With another San Diego location now ready to launch less than a year after entering the local market, PopUp Bagels appears poised to further establish itself as one of the region’s dominant new bakery brands while continuing the nationwide momentum that has transformed a backyard Connecticut pop-up into one of America’s most recognizable modern bagel concepts.
PopUp Bagels is located at 510 Vista Way, Suite 102 in San Diego's North County city of Oceanside. For more information, visit popupbagels.com.
Operated locally by franchise partners Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall, collectively known as The Bagel Boyz, the Oceanside store represents the second step in what appears to be a broader San Diego County rollout strategy for the rapidly expanding brand. Goodman and Thall have positioned themselves as highly visible operators within San Diego’s increasingly competitive bagel landscape, blending influencer-style marketing, community engagement, and the intentionally minimalist PopUp Bagels model into a concept that has resonated strongly with Southern California consumers.
The new Oceanside shop takes over the former Blackmarket Bakery space within Freeman Collective, a mixed-use development near the intersection of Vista Way and South Coast Highway that has experienced significant tenant turnover over the past year. Blackmarket Bakery abruptly shuttered its Oceanside café in 2025 amid bankruptcy proceedings that ultimately led to the closure of the once-prominent Southern California bakery chain. More recently, neighboring tenant HomeState also announced plans to exit the development, underscoring the rapidly shifting dynamics within the high-profile North County project.
PopUp Bagels’ arrival adds another high-demand food concept to Freeman Collective while continuing Oceanside’s broader transformation into one of San Diego County’s most active restaurant and hospitality corridors. The brand, originally founded by Adam Goldberg in Westport, Connecticut in 2021, has rapidly expanded nationwide with locations opening across California, New York, Florida, Maine, and North Carolina, fueled largely by social media hype and a stripped-down operating philosophy focused almost entirely on bagels and rotating cream cheese flavors known as schmears.
To celebrate the Oceanside debut, PopUp Bagels is partnering with San Diego celebrity chef Brian Malarkey on a limited-time Blackberry Jalapeño Crunch Schmear that will be available exclusively at the Oceanside and La Jolla locations during the launch period. The collaboration adds another layer of local culinary star power to the opening while reinforcing the company’s strategy of partnering with chefs, tastemakers, and high-profile personalities to generate momentum around new store openings.
The Oceanside grand opening celebration is scheduled for Friday, May 22, from 8am to 11am, though representatives note the opening date remains slightly subject to change pending final construction timelines. Customers can expect the same signature experience that helped propel the La Jolla shop into one of San Diego’s hottest bakery destinations: freshly baked bagels with crisp crusts and soft interiors served hot and whole for tearing and dipping rather than traditional sandwich preparation.
With another San Diego location now ready to launch less than a year after entering the local market, PopUp Bagels appears poised to further establish itself as one of the region’s dominant new bakery brands while continuing the nationwide momentum that has transformed a backyard Connecticut pop-up into one of America’s most recognizable modern bagel concepts.
PopUp Bagels is located at 510 Vista Way, Suite 102 in San Diego's North County city of Oceanside. For more information, visit popupbagels.com.
Originally published on May 15, 2026.
