Benji’s Bagel is planning to bring coffee, bagels and schmears to East Nashville.
Co-owner Niko Bendaj — who opened their West Nashville location last year alongside his wife Rebecca — told What Now Nashville that they signed a lease at 921 Cherokee Ave. about two weeks ago.
The expansion to a second location came out of necessity for growing the brand, Bendaj said.
“Our current location has been a staple for the Nashville area, and we outgrew this operation for the past nine months,” Bendaj said. “We have 15 employees, and we have literally no physical space anymore to produce or store [more] bagels. That’s how the expansion came about.”
Customers can expect the same menu and concept, which includes handcrafted coffee and tea beverages, juices, bagels, bagel sandwiches (including a build-your-own option) and a variety of schmears (spreads).
However, the new space will be much larger at just over 4,000 square feet. Bendaj said that this will allow them to expand operations. They are also considering adding alcoholic beverages to the menu offerings at the new location.
The team is still in the design and planning phase, so they anticipate a June or July opening in East Nashville.
“We want to serve that community. A lot of our guests come from that area, and we want to serve the East community as well,” Bendaj said. “We want to be a community hub for the neighborhoods. Nashville is changing, and we just want to make sure we stay community-focused and neighborhood-focused.”
