RICHMOND, Va. – A popular biscuit shop launched in Durham, North Carolina announced plans to rise in the north, with an opening planned soon in Short Pump.
Rise Biscuits Donuts was founded in 2012 and quickly franchised after receiving national and local awards; they’ve been ranked among the nation’s best biscuits by Food & Wine magazine.
There are currently 10 stores in North Carolina (Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Morrisville, Wilmington, Greensboro and Carrboro) and in 2017 the chain will expand west to Allen, Tex., south to Savannah, Ga., and north to Richmond, Va.
Rise serves sandwiches on either a biscuit or potato roll, with fillings like fried chicken, ham and sausage topped with cheeses, spreads, and eggs. Special sandwich offerings change monthly.
Donuts share equal billing with biscuits, and are divided into “old school, new school and our school categories,” according to the founders.
The hours put the focus on morning and early afternoon service, with hours of operation from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Rise Richmond will be located at 11561 West Broad Street, across the street from Short Pump Town Center.
The quick-serve concept, with emphasis on coffee, donuts, and sandwiches to go, will feature counter ordering and limited seating in its 1,536 square foot store.
“We are excited to bring this creative, chef-driven concept to Richmond,” said David Dowdy who, with his partners Nash Osborn and Matt Hurley, will own and operate the franchise. “We feel there’s a void Rise will fill nicely in the breakfast market and can’t wait to serve scratch-made biscuits and donuts daily to hungry Virginians.”
Osborn, Hurley and Dowdy have local restaurant experience. Osborn and Hurley own The Fishin’ Pig, which started in Farmville and recently opened a second location in Waynesboro.
Hurley previously owned Mulligans Sports Grille and Gradys BBQ, and Osborn has worked in restaurants in New York and Washington D.C.
Dowdy already owns a Rise franchise in Raleigh and the trio plan to open four additional Rise restaurants in central Virginia, including a second Richmond location, over the next three years.
In 2014 Rise partnered exclusively with Fransmart, the franchise development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill, to grow the Rise brand.
