The newest campus bagel shop - serving cream cheese, lox and the theory of relativity.
Einstein Bros. Bagels, a chain based out of Colorado, will open in the basement of Houston Hall this fall.
The store represents the first bagel store on campus since Univerity Bagels closed in 1998.
Barbara Lea-Kruger, a director of Business Services at Penn Dining, said the University saw a demand for a bagel store in various Penn Dining surveys.
Penn then contacted Einstein Bros. when Amazon Juice closed in late June.
Tom Hauber, the Facilities director in the Vice Provost of Student Life's office, said the decision to close Amazon Juice, which has several other locations in Philadelphia and has changed its name to Raindrop Cafe, was a mutual agreement, but would not comment further. Raindrop Cafe representatives could not be reached for comment.
Though campus eateries like Izzy and Zoe's and Bucks County Coffee Company offer bagels in limited quantities, many students were excited at the prospect of a dedicated bagel shop coming to campus.
"That's fantastic!" College junior Mo Mannion said when informed of the move. "They have really good bagels."
The move to bring Einstein Bros. is a part of a larger reshuffling of Houston Hall's basement caused by Amazon's closure.
Scoop DeVille has already moved down a slot to the space that Amazon Juice formerly occupied and will serve smoothies, soup and other lunch foods in an effort to attract students looking for more than just ice cream.
"I'm excited for people to maybe go to Einstein for breakfast and to us for lunch or dessert," said Sarah Ozol, manager of Scoop DeVille's Houston Hall location.
Einstein Bros. will take up Scoop DeVille's former space.
Video Vault, which is run by the Penn Student Agencies, will remain in its current location, Hauber said.
Just as Scoop DeVille came to campus three years so Penn students wouldn't have to travel to its other location at 17th and Chestnut streets, the opening of Einstein Bros. is part of a company campaign to expand to college campuses nationwide, the parent company, Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, said in a press release.
The bagel shop is slated to open Oct. 1, though Hauber said renovation may drag on until fall break.
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