Charlotte's newest Einstein Bros. Bagels location is opening Tuesday, March 27, at 5:30 a.m. in Myers Park Shopping Center.
A new Ballantyne store was recently announced as well. Phil Rice, the 25-year-old franchiser who owns the stores, said he plans to open as many as eight more stores in the Charlotte market.
He's currently looking for locations in the SouthPark area, near Lake Norman, and possibly in Rock Hill. Rice worked for a restaurant company in Columbus, Ohio, before moving to Charlotte last year. He wanted to own his own business, and said he gravitated toward Einstein Bros. because they have more than 700 locations but are fairly new to franchising.
"It's a really cool brand," Rice said. He bought the rights to the Charlotte market last year. The transition from working for a restaurant company to ownership is nerve-wracking, Rice admits. "I've opened new restaurants before, but this has my name on it," he said. "This is my life, so I can't mess it up. That's why I work seven days a week."