Manhatten Bagel / Holey Dough Cafe, 4840 Forest Drive (Trenholm Plaza) / 1200 Main Street suite 102: 2008 7 comments
The Holey Dough Cafe started out as Manhatten Bagel and had been a fixture in Trenholm Plaza for probably around 20 years. In our family, whenever we faced an early-morning out-of-town trip, the saying was This is a bagel situation, and we would fuel up with bagels and coffee (or soft drinks) on the way to the Interstate. I used to go in there frequently on early Saturday afternoons as well, and there were always the same two customers there, very elderly men whom the staff took care to see got in and out of the store OK.
In 2006, the store dropped it's Manhatten Bagel affiliation. I'm not sure why. Perhaps given how well established the place was, the national name cost too much without providing enough extra value. At any rate, they changed the name to "Holey Dough Cafe" and redid all the signage (including that on the bagel van) and menus. I couldn't tell any difference in the bagels; they still seemed quite good to me.
In recent months, I had become aware that the store was opening a new branch downtown somewhere. I'm still not sure of the exact location, but I would see sidewalk signs near Gervais & Main. I presume, and hope, the new store continues after the main store's closure.
I suspect the proximate cause of the Trenholm store's closing is the ongoing renovation of the Plaza, which will involve tearing down that whole wing of stores. (The Oreck store is primed to move to the Piggly Wiggly plaza). As to why not just move it a bit up or down Forest Drive, I think the recent opening of Bruegger's Bagels across from The Happy Bookseller has changed the local bagel market. An established store could tough it out, but a new location would have to fight for mindshare with Brueggers.
Roadtrips won't be the same.
UPDATE 2 November 2009: When Holey Dough moved from Trenholm Plaza, it set up shop at 1200 Main Street suite 102. I'm not sure how long it was there, but it was certainly less than a year. Jumpin' Jacks Giant Jersey Subs now occupies the spot.
UPDATE 11 Jan 2010: Added "Manhatten Bagel" and full Forest Drive Street address to post title.
7 Responses to 'Manhatten Bagel / Holey Dough Cafe, 4840 Forest Drive (Trenholm Plaza) / 1200 Main Street suite 102: 2008'
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ChiefDanGeorge
16 Aug 08 at 7:09 am
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Today I drove past a storefront for Holey Dough Cafe on Gervais across from the State House (in the building where the news station is). It had a professional sign and an unlit "open" neon light. A hand-written sign on the door said "opening soon."
Rebecca
18 Aug 08 at 1:00 pm
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Are they really going to tear down that whole section? So that means the area where hooligans begins to the ham store will be torn down?? I've wanted to open a restaurant in that center for so long now, I would easily jump to the chance to take this open space.
michael
20 Aug 08 at 12:12 am
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Yep, here's the story from The State.
I've heard from someone who heard from someone that may or may not be correct that the Hooligans parcel will become an Outback Steakhouse.
Bobby's was slated to move to the Wally & Crumb site, but as of my last haircut, that seemed to have fallen through.
I don't know how the restauranteer got the idea that people like valet parking though. If you want to drive my car, buy it from me.
ted
20 Aug 08 at 12:28 am
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I think it is a mistake to do this "makeover". The article sounds really similar to Richland Malls when they got rid of the original mall. They don't seem to be adding parking, which is already pretty tight now. PLus getting in and out of there is not the simplest since only one entrance/exit.
Words like upscale stores and raising rent sounds like a good equation for losing and not replacing tenants.ChiefDanGeorge
20 Aug 08 at 6:00 am
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Yes, I think it's a mistake too. There's money in Forest Acres, but the folks aren't frou-frou. Plus, raise the rents and places like Hooligans are going to go under.
As you say, parking is already bad some days (although I disagree aboutr the entrance -- there are 4 with access from both Trenholm and Forest)
ted
20 Aug 08 at 9:28 am
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What M.B./Holly Dough had was good bagels baked in the store and an owner/manager in the shop everyday!!
Local, local, local...........If you had a REQUEST you did NOT have to go to a corporate P R team / Wall Street numbers cruncher to get an answer.
Support local businesses!
David
25 Sep 10 at 10:16 pm
I ate there once, terrible service, bagels were about as good as store bought. Bruggers Bagels probably put them under with good service and good bagels.