On a campus where the GW Deli and Call Your Mother reign supreme, a GW alum is entering the ring.
Adam Goldberg, founder of PopUp Bagels and a 1996 School of Business graduate, is bringing his fast-growing concept to Georgetown after expanding across major markets since 2021, like Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York City, with more than 28 nationwide. Goldberg said opening in Washington, D.C., had always been part of his long-term vision, describing the move as a meaningful full-circle moment as he returns to the city where his entrepreneurial ambitions first began.
“It feels incredibly rewarding to return to the area in this new capacity,” Goldberg said in an email. “As a GW alum, I have a personal connection to the neighborhood, so coming back now as a founder and a member of the local business community feels both full circle and deeply meaningful.”
Goldberg said he wanted to open in D.C. because of his “personal connection” to the city going to school there, with Georgetown marking the first D.C. opening. He added that the neighborhood’s thriving, community-driven culture closely aligns with the PopUp Bagels ethos, also hinting that additional D.C.-area stores may be on the horizon.
This isn’t the first time PopUp Bagels has ventured into D.C. — Goldberg hosted a pop-up event in December 2024 at GW, where he also hinted at their eventual D.C. opening. Goldberg said returning to campus nearly 30 years after he graduated was an “incredible feeling,” adding that the event allowed him to connect with students who are in a similar place he was in as a business students.
“I told anyone I spoke with, ‘Work hard and keep moving forward,'” Goldberg said. “You have no idea where you’ll wind up 20-30 years from now. I certainly didn’t plan on this.”
Goldberg came up with the idea for PopUp Bagels during the COVID-19 pandemic after he started making bagels and selling them through his home kitchen, eventually opening popup shops in nearby locations, according to his website. The shop went viral on TikTok where it caught the attention of influencers who pushed the shop’s popularity through the roof by spotlighting PopUp’s creative schmear flavors, like cake batter and the St. Patrick’s Day’s Guinness chocolate cake.
Goldberg said his time at GW prepared him for the demands of leading a fast-growing company, teaching him how to balance a packed schedule that included Greek life, internships and promoting and hosting music events at D.C. venues. He added that his marketing classes continue to shape his approach today, often informing the creative partnerships and launches he develops with brands like Kraft and Wingstop.
“I was able to work at a leading financial firm, intern at the Senate, all while throwing music events, renting out venues and promoting restaurants to students,” Goldberg said of his time at GW. “Like any business you start, you need to wear a lot of hats to keep the machine going.”
He described the PopUp Bagels concept as a “unique bagel experience” centered on simplicity and interaction, with whole, hot bagels — plain, everything, poppyseed, salt and sesame — served alongside a choice of schmear. Emphasizing a “grip, rip and dip” approach, the uncut bagels are served straight from the oven and designed for dipping rather than being made into traditional sandwiches, he said.
Goldberg, said the opening marks a “full-circle” moment, bringing his business into his college city. From taking business classes to opening his first shop in his hometown of Westport, Connecticut, every opening marks a new success, he said.
“It feels incredibly rewarding to return to the area in this new capacity,” Goldberg said. “As a GW alum, I have a personal connection to the neighborhood, so coming back now as a founder and a member of the local-business community feels both full circle and deeply meaningful.”
