Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Cunningham.
Hi Chris, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Nervous Charlie’s started as a passion project. When we moved to Austin, I couldn’t find a good bacon, egg, and cheese — the kind I grew up eating back home on Long Island. So my wife and I decided to open a place that could fill that gap — a true New York–style bagel shop built on authenticity, quality, and community.
We opened our first location on North Lamar in 2018 with the goal of doing one thing really well: serving great bagels made fresh every day. What began as a small shop quickly grew into something much bigger, thanks to the incredible support from the Austin community. We’ve since expanded to a second location in Cedar Park, and we’re continuing to evolve the brand with new projects (stay tuned!)
Looking back, we’ve stayed true to what made us start this in the first place — creating a place that feels like home, where people can get a great breakfast, be treated kindly, and start their day with something that makes them feel good.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When we started Nervous Charlie’s, the goal was simple — open a small neighborhood bagel shop where we could serve great food and connect with people. We honestly thought it would stay that way. But pretty quickly, it turned into something much bigger than we expected. The response from Austin was incredible, and before we knew it, we were operating at a scale that required a completely different level of organization, staffing, and systems.
That kind of fast growth brings a lot of challenges. Suddenly you’re not just baking bagels and running the counter — you’re managing teams, training, sourcing, equipment, and maintaining consistency across everything you do. You realize how hard it is to scale the heart and soul of a small shop without losing what made it special in the first place.
Although it hasn’t always been easy, we’ve been able to grow while still staying true to what made everyone love us when we first started — great food, genuine people, and a place that feels like home.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In the beginning, I was in the shop 24/7 — baking bagels at 3 AM, taking orders, cleaning tables, and mopping floors at the end of the day. I did everything because I wanted every detail to reflect the standard we were trying to build. That experience really shaped how I look at the business today.
Now, I’m fortunate to have an incredible team that handles the day-to-day operations. They care deeply about what we do and take pride in keeping things running smoothly, which allows me to focus on the bigger picture — the overall vision of the brand, partnerships and collaborations, and our long-term growth strategy.
What I’m most proud of is that even as we’ve grown, we’ve never lost the heart of what Nervous Charlie’s is about. We’ve built a loyal following by staying authentic — great food, friendly people, and a sense of community that feels genuine. I think that’s what really sets us apart.
What’s next?
We’ve got some really exciting projects in the works that we can’t quite share yet, but the goal is simple — to get our bagels and our vibes to more folks around Austin. Every new step we take is about growing in a way that still feels true to who we are and what made people fall in love with us at our first shop on Lamar.
We’re always looking for ways to evolve — whether that’s through creative collaborations, new experiences, or fresh takes on what a bagel shop can be — but at the heart of it all, it’s still about good food, good people, and making sure that energy never changes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nervouscharlies.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nervouscharliesbagels/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NervousCharlies/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@nervouscharliesbagels
