Highland Bakery Hopes to Bake Up Big Business in Franchising, But is that Good?

Local bakery café to offer franchises. 

Atlanta-based Highland Bakery is officially offering franchise opportunities.  The bakery café eatery, with humble beginnings on Highland Avenue in Atlanta's Old 4th Ward, will continue to expand, but now with OPM (other people's money.)  

Rising Roll Gourmet and Highland Bakery, both based in metro Atlanta, announced a partnership this past April that hinted at upcoming franchising. At the time of the announcement, the companies said they were "creating a strategic partnership" whereby "each brand will retain its own identity, with plans for both to benefit from each other’s expertise."

Stacy Eames started Highland Bakery in 2003 and currently has locations in Old 4th Ward, Buckhead and Midtown as well as pairs of locations on the campuses of Emory University and Georgia Tech.  A new location is expected to open in mid-to-late January on West Ponce de Leon Avenue in Decatur.(The Decatur location is being opened as corporate store but could reportedly become a franchise unit after opening.)  A separate "healthier" new concept is expected to open early next year on North Highland in the old Aurora Coffee shop.  

Mike Lassiter today serves as president of Rising Roll, a chain of sandwich franchises that first launched in Atlanta as Uptown Gourmet Sandwich Company in 1996.  Prior to his involvement with Rising Roll, Lassiter was "Area Director" for Georgia and Houston, Texas for Schlotzsky's.   To date, Rising Roll has ten locations in Georgia, and 20 overall, in five states.  Many of the company's newest locations have opened on college campuses, something both brands will likely look to expand upon via licensing and franchising.

With luck, this pivot towards mass availability does not damage the independent "granola" feel of the Highland Bakery brand.  

The Flying Biscuit Café, previously an independent operation, was sold to Raving Brands (now Big Game Brands) and is no longer the same.  

Delia Champion opened the first Flying Biscuit Café in Candler Park in 1993.  Following the 2006 sale to Raving Brands, the first franchised location opened in 2007 in the bottom of the Terminus parking deck in Buckhead.  Today Flying Biscuit has ten locations in Georgia, three in North Carolina and one in Florida.  

As seen in the collateral above, Mike Lassiter is listed as the contact person for franchise opportunities with Highland Bakery.

Additionally, "Highland Bakery Franchise Company, LLC" was registered with the State of Georgia on May 6th 2015. The organizer(s) is listed as "RiseHigh, LLC" with the additional provision that it is a "Single Member Limited Liability Corporation."  

Calls to both Eames and Lassiter for comment were not immediately returned.  

What are your thoughts on Highland Bakery franchising its concept?  Where would you like to see a Highland Bakery open next?  What is your favorite place to get breakfast in Atlanta?

Please share your thoughts below.