BITE IS THE NEW CHS HOT SPOT

The new lunch place for many Columbia High School students is Bite, a soup, salad and sandwich spot just two blocks from the high school that is already seeing full tables and lines out the door.

And it just opened on Tuesday.

Owner Brian Jones, the father of a CHS senior and a veteran education consultant, opened his doors at 513 Valley St. on Jan. 3, just in time for students returning from the holiday break.

The youngsters have been flocking in droves as word of mouth spread on and off campus about the eatery, which attributes much of its success to an online menu that allows students to send in an order, pay online, and have it ready for pick up.

"They can come in, give me their secret password, pick up their lunch and enjoy it," Jones said as he served the line of customers in the small space, formerly home to the failed Holley Seafood. "I want to them to have a place they can call their own. My hope is the majority of people order on line so we can have time to make the orders before they arrive and then they have time to eat and play."

With long picnic tables and complimentary phone chargers, Bite's allure is also a menu with basic salads, chicken and other sandwiches and soups. See the menu HERE.

There is also the Cougar Lunch Special, just for CHS students, which runs eight dollars. Jones, who managed the famed Soho Kitchen and Bar in the 80's, said he hopes to add music controls for the students and even Chromebooks so they can do homework on site.

Jones with Bite manager Nadielle McArthur

"I have a high school senior who has dietary restrictions, so I found that if I didn't make her lunch in time, there was nothing close to the high school she could eat," Jones explained about his initial motive. "I kept seeing this space, and I stopped and looked, the next day I called and found the space open."

So far, he is open weekdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but hopes to add weekends and eventually breakfast and dinner.

"The idea of getting a really quality lunch to the kids at a good price is important," Jones added. "The mission is to provide that to the community."