Rising High, Harden Street: 2006 6 comments
In principle, I should like Rising High, since it is sort of a local version of The Atlanta Bread Company or Panera Bread, and I like both of those operations (in general, but see my post about ABC at Sandhills..). In practice I never really found the sandwich or other food item that could make this place a regular stop for me. The sandwich which came closest, The Sundrenched was a bit too artichokey. The deck was a nice idea in principle, but I found that when it wasn't too hot, or too cold to use it, I tended to get panhandled by passers-by.
I'm unsure if the building was built for Rising High. I remember The Villa being in about that location before it closed. At any rate, I think a combination of things did in this location. First and foremost was the interminable Harden Street revamping which also cost us The Parthenon. I believe that, combined with the fact that the chain was at the same time trying to establish a new location on Beltline Blvd (where Shane's Ribs now is) just put too much stress on the operation.
The building now hosts The Congaree Grill, an operation I have yet to visit.
6 Responses to 'Rising High, Harden Street: 2006'
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fancylibrarian
30 Apr 08 at 7:04 pm
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Shame… that could have been
a great chain, but megastores
like ABC (Atlanta Bread Co.)
probably sank their ship, even
though their business model
was probably fashioned after
the same (plus ownership
squabbles amongst the part-
ners didn't help them either)
.. wonder what's up w/ the
Main St. location .. guess
it went by the way of the
latest casualty of down-
town.
... Lourie'sFish
30 Apr 08 at 10:33 pm
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Yeah, I saw that the Main Street One was closing. I don't go down there much, but I'll probably take a picture and make a short post. I wanted to like Rising High, but somehow I just never warmed up to it.
ted
1 May 08 at 12:11 am
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Originally, Rising High at 5 points had great bread by the loaf...go in and get a honey sunflower, sweet black or other great tasting loaf...sliced or not. Then all the big grocery stores started having bakeries and we just bought it there. I thought the sandwiches were good but the place always looked unclean with napkins all over the floor, etc.
Pop
18 Feb 09 at 6:05 pm
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I loved to get lunch at the location on Main St. They had good sandwiches, soups and breads and I used to enjoy sitting by the windows and watching people go by. Later I'd see the same people at my night job at RCPL and they'd recognize me too, so I guess the people-watching works both ways. Of course, this was back at the turn of the century. Sad to hear what happened to it, as I always liked them better than ABC.
Becky
14 Sep 10 at 2:46 pm
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Before Rising High it was The Villa which was there in 1970 when I came to Columbia. I think they closed sometime in the '80s. They're still open at their Bush River Road location.
Mike
24 Feb 11 at 6:56 pm
It's funny that I am writing this today, since the last Rising High location (on Main) closed today. That's it for them. That's okay, the food was going downhill faster than a skateboard with grease on the wheels. My favorite story about RH (and definitely a sign that the place is on it's way out) was when a coworker went there last year and asked the price of a cinnamon bun. The worker looked over both shoulders at the sign on the wall with prices, didn't see the price, and turned around and said "95 cents, a dollar, something like that" with a shrug. The one thing that I want to know about the former RH location shown here is why in God's name they never got a decent real sign for the place. Instead, they had a cheap looking vinyl sheet hanging down for the whole time it was open. I think you can still see the mildew stains where it was! YUCK!