Overview
- The shop is operating at 2788 Broadway under the name New Absolute Bagels, replacing Absolute Bagels, which shut in December 2024 after a Health Department inspection cited 67 violations including evidence of rats and live roaches.
- The new operators are not connected to the Thongkrieng family; local reports describe a partner-led ownership group, and the Forward identified the owner as Kyung Mi Kim.
- Many former staff have returned, a manager said the recipe is unchanged, and early customers reported the bagels taste like the originals.
- A property broker said the space was fully renovated with new equipment, floors, walls, ducts and ceilings, and the shop now accepts cards and features an updated layout.
- The soft opening continued with free bagels and lines stretching around the block, with limited morning hours through Wednesday, a New Year’s Day pause, and an official reopening planned for Jan. 2, 2026.