The Bagel Company will open its third Helena location at 3091 N. Sanders St., occupying the former Scenic Brew storefront and targeting an early December launch. Owner Erik Wood has indicated the new shop will add menu items while welcoming longtime Scenic Brew regulars, maintaining continuity for customers who used the previous café at that address.

The expansion builds on the company's existing presence in Helena, where it already operates shops downtown on Last Chance Gulch and on 11th Ave. Moving into the North Sanders site keeps a familiar food-and-beverage tenant in place rather than leaving the space vacant, and preserves a local gathering spot that serves commuters and neighborhood residents alike.

For Lewis and Clark County residents, the change has several immediate local implications. Regulars of Scenic Brew will have a successor business that intends to serve their needs, while residents north of downtown gain another convenient morning and lunchtime option without traveling into the core. The third location also broadens the Bagel Company's footprint, increasing access to its products across different parts of the city and reinforcing the brand's role as a local food operator.

From an economic perspective, the repurposing of an existing cafe space helps sustain commercial activity along N. Sanders St., reducing the economic drag of a long-term vacancy. While specific employment figures have not been released, openings of this type typically involve new shifts of staff and local purchasing for supplies, which circulate dollars within the community. The Bagel Company's decision to expand locally also reflects business confidence in Helena's retail and food-service market and contributes to the small-business landscape that underpins much of the county's Main Street commerce.

The move also has modest implications for commercial real estate and neighborhood planning. Reusing a former coffee shop reduces the lead time and costs associated with more extensive build-outs, enabling a faster transition from vacancy to revenue-generating use. For city officials and local economic-development stakeholders, such transitions can be a practical example of how existing retail corridors can adapt to changing tenant mixes without major public intervention.

Residents can expect the new Bagel Company to open early in December, with an expanded menu intended to attract both longtime customers of Scenic Brew and regulars of the Bagel Company's downtown and 11th Ave. locations. As the holiday season approaches, the addition of a third Helena location underscores the continued importance of small, locally owned food businesses in shaping daily life and economic activity across Lewis and Clark County.