Founded by Firemen - Spreading like Wildfire
When brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen opened the first Firehouse Subs in Jacksonville, Florida in 1994, they had no greater aspiration than to be the best sandwich shop in town. 353 shops later, it's apparent they've succeeded. With high quality, larger-than-average size portions and a dedication to a fun, customer-centric environment, the Sorensens knew they were offering something different, but they could not have foreseen the great extent to which it would be accepted - or, more accurately, craved - by the public. With 200 years of combined family service, the name and theme was a natural choice, and today, Firehouse Subs is synonymous with a legendary sub sandwich experience.
 "In the early years, we focused on store growth," says Greg Delks, director of franchise development. "But in the late 1990s Firehouse turned to franchising to grow the brand to a national level." Out of the more than 350 stores currently in operation, 30 of them are company owned, with nearly 1,000 under area development agreements throughout 18 states.
With a recognizable brand that appeals to a wide range of people - from children to the elderly - success is built in, and Firehouse Subs makes every effort to be the local sub shop of choice.
Custom firehouse décor - often from local firehouses - adorns the walls, as do murals painted by in-house artists, depicting life down at the local fire department - a theme that is irresistible to the young and the young at heart. Additionally, Firehouse Subs sells only the highest quality food, which includes only USDA select meats or better, the freshest produce available and a generous half-pound of meat on every 12 inch sub.
The strength of the brand name and the quality product offered translates into a higher-than-average unit volume. But, the company is also widely recognized for its philanthropic work, pouring nearly $1 million in 2009 to causes that benefit firefighters - providing life saving equipment such as portable defibrillators and thermo-detection equipment through its Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. For a franchisee looking to run a successful company while making a difference, Firehouse Subs is the logical choice.
 Firehouse Subs has other draws for its franchisees. First and foremost is the culture of support and training. Working closely with an area representative, franchisees help develop the balance of restaurants in the chosen market. Prior to signing an agreement, franchisees spend one week working in a Firehouse Subs store, followed by six weeks of strenuous training and another week of classroom training at the Jacksonville location. "The franchise's area representative will then assist throughout the opening process, train the managers and staff, and visit the store at least once a month for an in-depth profit and loss review," says Delks.
Firehouse Subs has an initial investment of between $221,000 and $464,000, with the main difference being real estate associated costs (a location in Washington, D.C. costs more to finance than a location in a less urban setting). Company store financial information is provided in the franchise disclousure doucment and potential franchisees are encouraged to conduct their own in-depth interviews with other area shop owners.
Additionally, Firehouse Subs encourages multi-unit investments, with the most successful investors being invited to act as area representatives, for which they receive a portion of the area royalties. "Inter-franchise support happens at the area representative level," says Delks. "By living and working in the same geographic area as their local operators, they are able to respond more quickly to requests for help and have the knowledge of the locality to be absolutely effective."
Firehouse Subs Franchise Information Request Form
Please take a moment to fill out the short form below to inquire about opening your own Firehouse Subs Sandwich Franchise.
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