A popular Newtown Township business plans to expand.
The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors approved a conditional use application allowing Newtown Bagel to expand into an adjacent vacant space at the Newtown Plaza Shopping Center on Swamp Road.
The approval will allow the business to nearly triple the restaurant’s seating capacity and potentially extending operating hours.
“We operate in 1,200 square feet, which for those of you that have been in there, can be tight on a Saturday or Sunday,” said Chris Myers, who has owned Newtown Bagel since 2020. “I often encourage people to order ahead so you don’t have to wait in a very cramped environment.”
The expansion will combine the current 1,200-square-foot store with the neighboring 1,800-square-foot space, which was formerly occupied by a bank, creating a 3,000-square-foot operation. Seating will increase from 10 to 24 seats.
The bagel shop currently opens seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The conditional use approval allows hours from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Myers stated he may extend the hours to 3 p.m.
“Right now we’re busy, really busy, 7 to 11. We want to expand our lunch traffic,” Myers said. “That’s been an ongoing emphasis for us for the last several years.”
Attorney Russ Sacco, representing the applicant, told supervisors the expansion requires conditional use approval because it involves moving into a second storefront.
The shopping center provides 78 parking spaces, which Myers said has not created conflicts with other tenants. The center houses a Chinese restaurant that operates primarily during evening hours, a nail salon, and a dry cleaner.
The expansion will maintain two separate entrances – the current door that regular customers use and the former bank entrance, which Myers said will likely serve customers picking up online orders.
The construction timeline depends on obtaining necessary permits for mechanical, plumbing, and structural work.
Myers said he plans to begin the permitting process immediately.
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