Local Restaurateur Opens First Firehouse Subs in Florence
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Local Restaurateur Opens First Firehouse Subs in Florence

November 23, 2020 // Franchising.com // FLORENCE, Ala. - Firehouse Subs announces the grand opening of its first location in Florence, Alabama, at 365 Cox Creek Parkway. The restaurant will open its doors to the public on Friday, November 20, under the ownership of first-time Firehouse Subs Franchisee Mitchell Wharton.

This is Wharton’s first venture into the restaurant industry, a dream he’s wanted to achieve for many years. Originally from Tuscaloosa, Wharton is excited to open his first restaurant in Florence, where his family members reside and he now calls home. He first tried Firehouse Subs back in college and immediately loved the food and the brand’s mission to give back. The new restaurant team will be led by General Manager Michelle Denion, who has more than a decade worth of restaurant industry experience.

“I’ve always wanted to own my own business, and I’m excited to open my first Firehouse Subs restaurant,” said Wharton. “We’re excited to welcome Florence guests in with a smile, serve them hot, hearty subs and give back locally through Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.”

The Florence Firehouse Subs restaurant is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. The restaurant will offer hot and hearty subs to go via online ordering through the Firehouse Subs app or website, call-in phone orders or takeout service at the counter inside. It also offers third-party delivery and in-house catering services to accommodate occasions of all sizes, from office meetings to family gatherings. Following state and local regulations, the dining room will be open at limited capacity with an easily accessible back entrance for guests who park in the mall lot.

Wharton is dedicated to sharing the brand’s commitment to giving back through Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which has granted more than $238,000 in the Greater Huntsville-Decatur area. A portion of every sale at any Firehouse Subs in the U.S. benefits the Foundation, allowing the Foundation to achieve its mission of providing lifesaving equipment, funding and education to first responders and public safety organizations across the country.

Firehouse Subs serves a variety of hot specialty subs, piled high with premium meats and cheeses that are sliced fresh daily in-restaurant and steamed together to bring out the ingredients’ natural flavors, served “Fully Involved®” with fresh produce and condiments. In addition to its signature subs, the restaurant offers a variety of catering options from sandwich and dessert platters to salads and snacks to fuel any occasion.

Founded by former firefighting brothers, the restaurant décor reflects the founding family’s decades of fire and police service with gear and photos donated by local fire departments. It boasts a custom, hand-painted mural by Chief Mural Artist Joe Puskas, featuring local heroes from City of Florence Fire Rescue corralling Leo III, the University of North Alabama’s live lion mascot, in front of the scenic college campus. Since the opening of the first Firehouse Subs in 1994, Puskas and his team have painted more than 1,185 murals from his studio at Firehouse Subs Headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla.

In 2005, the Firehouse Subs founders established the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation with the mission of providing funding, lifesaving equipment and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations. The 501(c)(3) Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has granted more than $53 million to hometown heroes in 49 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. Each restaurant recycles five-gallon pickle buckets, available to guests for a $3 donation to the Foundation. Donation canisters on register counters explain the nonprofit’s mission and collect spare change, while the Round Up Program allows guests to “round up” their bill to the nearest dollar. All funds raised benefit the Foundation.

About Firehouse Subs

Firehouse Subs® is a fast-casual restaurant chain with a passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service and public safety. Founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 1994 by brothers and former firefighters Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs is a brand built on decades of fire and police service, hot and hearty subs piled high with the highest quality meats and cheeses and its commitment to saving lives through the establishment of the non-profit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation®. The founders are the real deal, the food is their creation and the brand is a family of franchise operators who share their same passion for generously serving food and community. This year, Firehouse of America and Firehouse Subs suppliers will together donate a portion of purchases at Firehouse Subs locations to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation for the purchase of lifesaving equipment, with a minimum donation of $1 million. Firehouse Subs is consistently recognized as one of the leading brands in the U.S. among consumers. Based on recent Technomic Ignite consumer data, Firehouse Subs is currently ranked America’s No. 1 Favorite Fast-Casual Chain, America’s No. 1 Favorite Sandwich Chain and America’s No. 4 Favorite Chain overall. In 2019, Firehouse Subs was named the No. 1 brand in the restaurant industry that “Supports Local Community Activities” and ranked No. 1 among Fast Casual brands in the categories of Food Quality, Taste and Flavor, and Service and Hospitality in Technomic’s Consumer Brand Metrics rankings.

Enjoy more subs. Save more lives. To learn more, visit http://www.firehousesubs.com.

Quick Facts:

  • More than 1,185 restaurants in 46 states, Puerto Rico, Canada and non-traditional locations
  • $53+ million granted to public safety organizations via Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation®
  • Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla.

SOURCE Firehouse Subs

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