Durham restaurant Hop + grind has announced the opening of a sister location and coffee bar, Rise + grind, sometime in the spring semester.

On the corner of Madbury Road, across from Madbury Commons, Rise + grind is set to be Durham’s latest coffee hotspot in place of the recently closed Saxby’s. There is no set date as they want to ensure the quality of the location, its products, and environment are all perfect. Their goal is to open by the start of next semester, according to the general manager of Hop + grind and now Rise + grind Dayna DiCola. The Hop + grind team plans on keeping a similar retro style for their new “coffee bar,” with the hopes of having an atmosphere that can accommodate both the students of University of New Hampshire (UNH) and locals of Durham.

DiCola said they wanted to leave the location as a coffee spot because of how “multifaceted” the coffee industry is, but put their own twist on it. Like Hop + grind, the goal for them is to ensure customers can have a unique experience, but instead of the variety of handcrafted and wild burgers that they have to offer, customers can have access to a new food setting with even more possibilities.

Chef Bobby Marcotte, owner and executive chef of two Hop + grind locations, and executive chef of Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery in Raymond, New Hampshire, and now owner of Rise + grind, is “always looking to innovate and revolutionize with his culinary creations,” DiCola said. The coffee shop will allow the team to apply new concepts to the options available at Rise + grind.

The menu has not yet been confirmed, but Marcotte is reportedly in the process of developing ideas for it. DiCola said they plan on having more food options than the average coffee shop. On the new Rise + grind Instagram page, there are three food emojis included in the announcement post – coffee, a donut, and a taco – so the possibilities for Rise + grind could be endless. 

For the coffee, DiCola said they are still in the process of finding the “perfect coffee[s]” for Rise + grind, as well as finding a local roaster to partner with. Once that is settled, DiCola said they intend to do their own experimenting with coffee blends to bring their own Hop + grind style twists on coffee to Durham. Rise + grind will also have adult drinks in addition to coffee and other beverages, DiCola said.

Across the board, Marcotte’s restaurants all have the same goal and principle: a focus on the experience. The intent for Rise + grind is the same as any of those locations, providing a unique experience with quality food, coffee and service.

“We want everyone who walks through the doors at all of our locations to have an eccentric experience they cannot get anywhere else. After all, a coffee shop is more than just sitting down and grabbing a cup of coffee. The experience and the vibes are what people look for!” DiCola said.

The Rise + grind team is currently looking for people to join them in preparation for the spring semester. They hire based on “personality and passion,” DiCola said, and there is no prior experience required. Those interested in ‘grindin’’ can access the application form on the Rise + grind Instagram page.