It has been long rumored that The Cheesecake Factory is coming to the upstate area, and now that rumor is becoming a reality. A building permit for more than $14,000 was issued for the restaurant on October 13, 2015. The Cheesecake Factory, soon to be a $500 million dollar building, will be located in the Haywood Mall, taking the place of the Panera Bread. It will have an have an area of 4,720 square feet plus 4,160 square feet for bars, patio and a commercial kitchen. An exact opening date for the new Cheesecake Factory has yet to be released, but the opening is expected sometime in 2016, and job opportunities have been listed. This will be the first Cheesecake Factory in South Carolina. Maria Varat, a current senior at CCES, said, “The Cheesecake Factory isn’t just great for cheesecake, it’s great for food, and they give really big portion sizes. I think it will liven up Greenville and bring joy to me and other cheesecake lovers.”
The first Cheesecake Factory opened long ago in 1978 in Beverly Hills, but there are currently 5 locations in Georgia, 3 locations in North Carolina and nearly 200 locations around the world. The Christ Church community seems excited but hesitant about the new restaurant. “We don’t need anymore traffic on Haywood Road, but I’m excited about the cheesecake,” said senior Emma Renfro. Mrs. Nelson added, “It will probably bring in some good revenue, but I prefer to go to restaurants that aren’t big corporate giants, and I like to support more local food, but I think it will be really good for our economy. It will probably be really successful.” With over 30 different types of cheesecake and 250 meal options at The Cheesecake Factory, there is no doubt that the students and faculty at CCES will enjoy the new addition to Greenville.