When longtime Durham caterer Tom Ferguson sold his stake in the Only Burger truck, his then 9-year-old daughter broke into tears. She loved the cachet of her father's food truck.
"Don't worry about it," Ferguson told her. "The next thing I'm going to do will make you so cool."
That concept was Rise, a combination biscuit and doughnut shop that first opened near Durham's Streets at Southpoint in November 2012. Not only was it a hit with his now 13-year-old daughter, it has been very successful and started franchising.
There are now seven Triangle locations, including recent openings in downtown Durham and Carrboro. (The next Raleigh location, in Brier Creek Commons shopping center, will open in May.) Rise was named among the most recent Fast Casual Top 100 Movers and Shakers, a coveted accolade in this segment of the restaurant business. Ferguson's company has signed agreements for 21 more franchises in North Carolina, Florida and Texas.