Cocky's Bagels keeps rising with a 4th shop and plans to franchise
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Photo: Courtesy of Cocky's Bagels
What began as a side hustle has evolved into one of Cleveland's more notable business success stories.
Why it matters: Cocky's Bagels, which opened its fourth location last week in University Heights, marks another entrepreneurial win for Ohio — which has one of the best business survival rates of any state.
Flashback: Husband and wife Keene and Natalie Cockburn launched Cocky's in 2017.
- In less than two years, they went from selling sandwiches out of a small food trailer in Lakewood to hosting private events and purchasing a full-fledged food truck.
- Cocky's opened its first brick-and-mortar location in North Olmsted in 2019. Locations on the Flats East Bank and in Columbus followed in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
State of play: The locations in North Olmsted, Columbus and University Heights operate as stylish, cozy cafés.
- The Flats location has a similar menu and liquor license, making it a downtown hub for day parties and nightlife.
What they're saying: "This started out as a side project that could get my husband out of his job he hated," Natalie Cockburn tells Axios.
- "But we worked hard, got the name out there, and didn't say no to any opportunity that came our way."
The big picture: Cocky's is thriving throughout Ohio, where 55% of businesses that opened the year ending March 2019 remained open as of March 2024, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
- That's tied for the fifth-highest business survival rate of any state during that period.
What's next: Cocky's in the Flats will expand with an event space in a vacant storefront next door on Old River Road.
- Cockburn says the long-term goal is to franchise the bagel café concept regionally and then throughout the country.
