Mabel Suen
Rise Coffee will serve its last guests on June 24th.
The Grove is not simply losing a place to get coffee; it is losing one of its essential community gathering places: Rise Coffee (4176 Manchester Avenue, 314-405-8171), the beloved cafe and daytime spot, is closing. Its last day of service will be June 24.
Rise made the announcement on its Facebook page this morning in a post titled "A Bittersweet Goodbye." Though no single reason is given for the closure, the post references many layers to the decision, including the long-term impact of the pandemic, rising food prices and staffing woes.
"The long and short of it is that running a restaurant has become unsustainable for us," the post reads. "So, we are releasing it with the belief that endings and beginnings are part of life and that the beauty and power of a thing is not dependent upon its longevity."
Founded by Jessie Mueller in 2013, Rise opened not simply as a coffee shop but as a hub for community. An educator and social worker by trade, Mueller envisioned Rise as a place dedicated to equity, inclusion and tolerance, and she and her team worked to live those values while also serving their guests excellent daytime fare and coffee. In 2015, Mueller sold the business to employee Aaron Johnson, who moved it to a larger storefront down the road and expanded its food offerings. The business thrived thanks to these changes and did not skip a beat when Mueller took back ownership in 2019.
The post notes the sadness surrounding the decision, but, in keeping with the cafe's spirit, looks toward the future with hope and gratitude. Patrons are encouraged to stop in during Rise's last week to say goodbye and have one last experience of the place that has meant so much to so many.
We have reached out to Rise and will update this article as new information becomes available. You can read Rise's full statement below:
It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Rise Coffee House will be closing on June 24th, 2022.
There are so many layers to this decision. But the simplest answer is, it is time. We could wax on about the long term impact of the pandemic, rising food prices, staffing, etcetera,. but the long and the short of it is that running a restaurant has become unsustainable for us. So we’re releasing it with the belief that endings and beginnings are part of life and that the beauty and power of a thing is not dependent upon its longevity.
It is bittersweet to say goodbye. Bitter because it’s abrupt; the dream is unfinished. Sweet because we’ve had nine years of chasing the dawn with all of you, and it has been magnificent.
Rise is not just an aesthetically pleasing cafe with impeccable coffee and an infamous breakfast sandwich. The spirit of possibility and belonging we’ve all come to know here could never be contained within these walls. Rise is all of us together in a beautiful and unlikely conglomeration of different ideas, beliefs and dreams.
We hope you will take whatever sadness you feel at this ending and let it guide you to a place of curiosity about what this coffee shop has meant to you. May you carry out the spirit of Rise in your life. In this way the dream will never die.
We’d love to see you this week. We’re tired and sad, but we’re also hopeful for what lies ahead and filled to the brim with gratitude. Thank you for your support of this place, its people, and our community. It has truly meant the world to us.
With love, The Rise Team
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