Tony Di Norcia, owner of Beach Bagels, has announced the opening of a third location in Monkey Junction.

Di Norcia said Monkey Junction is an area he has had his sights set on for a while, even before the opportunity to take over Ken’s Bagels at 5906 Oleander Drive came about in 2015.

“Ever since I bought the first store [7220 Wrightsville Ave.], I’ve had plans to expand to the Monkey Junction area,” Di Norcia said. “But when Ken’s became available it was an opportunity I had to take. So that sidetracked me a bit, but now we’re excited to be bringing Beach Bagels to this area of town.”

Di Norcia has signed a three-year lease for the property at 5226 S. College Rd., Unit 7A, in a deal brokered by Mark Johnson and Janet Rose of Coldwell Banker Commercial SunCoast.

The 2,000-square-foot building, located in the Myrtle Grove Shopping Center, will undergo a complete renovation to include a kitchen and 30-40 seat dining space. Design plans have been submitted for approval, and construction is expected to begin as soon as all necessary permits are granted. Other businesses in the center include Cape Fear Seafood Company and The Fairy Circle Consignments.

Di Norcia said the new location will have a beachy vibe similar to the design of the Oleander Drive location. It will also have plenty of covered outdoor seating.

The menu at the new location will include some Beach Bagels specialties, and perhaps, said Di Norcia, some new items that will be unique to this location.

“I’m always tweaking my menus and this will be an opportunity to evaluate what’s working and what isn’t, and to experiment with some new ideas,” Di Norcia said.

Di Norcia hopes the third location will be open by the end of the year.

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