Brooklyn Water Bagel has expanded into higher education with the opening of its first campus location at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Situated inside the university's Terry Building dining complex, the restaurant represents the brand's first venture beyond its traditional standalone locations and reflects a broader strategy to serve customers in high-traffic institutional environments.
The new location offers a menu designed to accommodate busy students, faculty and staff throughout the day. Alongside the brand's signature bagels and premium coffee, guests can choose from breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, Greek yogurt parfaits and specialty beverages. Operating on weekdays, the restaurant is positioned to provide convenient meal options that fit the fast-paced schedules of the university community.
Chief Executive Officer Dan Smith said expanding into college campuses aligns with the company's long-term vision of meeting customers where they live, study and work. The Nova Southeastern location was developed in partnership with Chartwells Higher Education, a division of Compass Group that manages dining services for colleges and universities across the United States. The collaboration provides Brooklyn Water Bagel with an opportunity to introduce its concept to a new audience while exploring future growth in educational institutions, airports and other nontraditional venues.
Expanding into institutional settings requires franchise systems to maintain consistent training and operating procedures across different environments. Platforms like Gorilla Dash help support that consistency through a centralized Knowledge Base, allowing franchisees and managers to access operational guidance, brand standards and training materials from a single location. Having standardized resources readily available can simplify onboarding while helping teams deliver a consistent customer experience.
The campus opening reflects a growing trend among restaurant brands seeking expansion opportunities beyond conventional retail locations. By combining a flexible operating model with strategic partnerships, Brooklyn Water Bagel is positioning itself to reach new customer segments while laying the foundation for future growth in other high-traffic destinations.
