Area Stores Show Chain’s New Face

Asbury Park Press:

Manhattan Bagel stretches to live up to its name.

For one, the chain, founded at the Jersey Shore, is now owned by Lakewood, Colo.-based Einstein Noah Restaurant Group.

For another, although its stores sell almost 2 dozen varieties of bagels, the business’ emphasis is now on offering ‘quick-casual’ service – midway on the restaurant spectrum between fast-food restaurants and those eateries offering table service. The stores now sell sandwiches, soups and salads. Some also sell hot specialty drinks such as espressos and cappuccinos and frozen smoothies known as Chillerz.

The chain and its franchisees started remodeling its restaurants two years ago to emphasize the quick-casual concept, starting with the Brick store. Last year, Manhattan Bagel built its first store centered around the concept in Red Bank, and earlier this month it opened its third new store in the Stafford Square shopping center, on Route 72 in Stafford. Read more.