Edward "Eddie" Russell, previously "Director Culinary Operations Rize Holdings, LLC," is reportedly now the owner of Rize Pizza Sandy Springs, which will soon be renamed, according to a post on his personal Instagram page earlier this week. As Russell says in his post, he joined the Rize team a little over a year ago, and things have not exactly gone as he, or anyone else for that matter, expected.
ToNeTo Atlanta was first to report the closure of the Rize location in Poncey-Highland this past Friday. TNT-A can now confirm that a previously planned location in Dunwoody has been officially abandoned. Russell acknowledges that he, who lives next door to the former North Highland location, "wouldn't have gone there if I didn't work there either.” Russell added, "luckily most people seemed to love the food at Rize, they just hated the store and the confusing experience, and for good reason." I could not agree more with his assessment and hope he is able to pull off the re-branding that will hopefully streamline the operation and create a more inviting, "non-chain-like" atmosphere.
I do wonder though, with Russell acknowledging the fact that he could not fix two restaurants at the same time, why he chose to "save" Sandy Springs, versus Poncey Highland. (Both restaurants were reportedly losing money.) An Atlanta native and veteran of Concentrics Restaurants as well as Argosy in East Atlanta Village and Last Word in Old Fourth Ward, Russell's skills and reputation would seem to be better suited to saving the ITP eatery rather than the OTP eatery.
Adding to the uphill battle, Russell and Peter deWeerdt, "Digital Technology & Consumer Analytic" are now reportedly the only two executives left at the restaurant. Ryan Coppola, "Vice President of Operations at Rize Holdings, LLC," was let go within the past few days, as was the restaurant's general manager.
While Russell has an extensive food background, deWeerdt's most recent experience prior to Rize was as "Director Digital Strategy - Connected Health Initiative at CVS Health." Prior to CVS, deWeerdt held executive positions at a technology software company, Payless ShoeSource and The Boston Consulting Group.
Adding to the issues, sources say many of the restaurant's hourly employees have left or are leaving, fearing that the restaurant will not be able to pay them and may not make it very long under the new ownership.
Eddie Russell's complete Instagram post can be read below.
@edwardjrussell
"I took a corporate job a little over a year ago. I'd reached a point in my career where I didn't care anymore about what people thought about me, or what I should be doing. I have an amazing daughter and I was tired of being exhausted and a zombie on my once a weeknight and every other weekend. You don't get those moments back and I chose not to miss them. It didn’t exactly work out that well. It came at a cost, emotionally, mentally and professionally. I didn't get to see as many of those nights and weekends as I thought. I've spent the past year being told "No" and "We know what we're doing" and I was over it. I was expected to always be working, yet was never allowed to change the menu or anything really that used my skills and experience. I pushed away friends and family over this job. My reputation was impacted, I had no clear idea what my job even was and I was miserable.
Things have a way of working out in ways you didn't expect and now I'm a restaurant owner. That's a new one for me. Rize will soon be no more, but we're not going out of business. I closed the store on Highland for a few reasons, but mostly because I can't fix 2 restaurants at the same time. And I live next door to the North Highland Rize. I can sum it up with "I wouldn't have gone there if I didn't work there either.” So I now have a soon to be renamed pizza shop in Sandy Springs. And, luckily most people seemed to love the food at Rize, they just hated the store and the confusing experience, and for good reason. Now I have the opportunity to get back to doing what I love. Making killer food and sharing it with people. There's no other message here, no corporate brand words or motto. Just me, some pizza, some good booze and some great people helping. Stay tuned, it's going to be a lot of work. Give me a few weeks to right the ship and figure it all out, but I'd love to have you in for a pint, great food and to say hi."
Are you surprised that both Rize locations will soon be closed? What can be changed about the Sandy Springs Rize restaurant to make it a success? What should open in the former Rize in Poncey-Highland?
Please share your thoughts below.
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