New York Bagel Bringing Own Menu to Former Sunrise Bakery Location

It's been a whirlwind week for both Sunrise Bakery locations. After a fire destroyed its New Bedford location last Wednesday night, Friday saw keys exchanging for the Dartmouth location.

READ MORE: Fire Heavily Damages New Bedford's Sunrise Bakery

The Dartmouth Street location will soon be the new home of New York Bagel's seventh location. Owner Cliff Ponte confirmed the news with The MGM Show. New York Bagel is leasing the former Sunrise property from local attorney Jay Williams. The bagel chain has plans to transform the space into both a customer-facing restaurant and a large scale production facility.

Why the Sunrise Bakery Location Was the Perfect Fit

Ponte said the biggest factor behind the move is growth. With New York Bagel rapidly expanding to soon include eight locations, the company has outgrown its current Route 6 Dartmouth kitchen.

“Our kitchen is too small,” Ponte said. “This new location gives us the ability to produce bagels at a much larger scale and continue to expand.”

READ MORE: New Bedford Mourns Sunrise Bakery as Family Speaks Out

The Sunrise Dartmouth location features a significantly larger kitchen and commissary space, allowing New York Bagel to increase production and supply its other locations more efficiently. While the facility will serve as a production hub, customers will still be able to dine inside.

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Will Customers Still Be Able to Use the Drive-Thru?

The drive-thru will remain a key part of the business. Ponte noted that drive-thru service currently accounts for about 60 percent of New York Bagel’s sales.

The dining room will also remain open, offering customers the same bagels, coffee and lunch options that have helped the brand grow across the SouthCoast.

New York Bagel Will Focus on Its Own Menu

What won't be immediately available is items from Sunrise Bakery. "It's going to be a New York Bagel, period," Ponte said. "There's a lot of people that have requested their linguiça rolls. We have our own, and we're certainly open to expanding, but what I have found in the business entrepreneurial lifestyle is that we need to continue to do what works for us. Bagels, coffee and good lunch options work for us."

Investment and Opening Timeline

New York Bagel expects to invest more than $250,000 into equipment and upgrades to prepare the space for operation. Ponte said the building itself is in good condition, but new kitchen equipment and infrastructure will be needed.

The company hopes to open the new location by late spring, with Ponte targeting May if construction and permitting stay on schedule.

Supporting Continued Growth Across the SouthCoast

Ponte said the new facility will play a critical role in supporting New York Bagel’s continued expansion, including a planned future location in Seekonk.