Limited-service sandwich chain Firehouse Subs just hit an
impressive milestone for its category when its 1,000th franchise
business opened its doors in Rowland Heights, California.
In a recent interview with trade publication QSR, brand CEO
Don Fox noted that all sorts of things can go wrong between store
one and store 1,000
(https://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/how-firehouse-subs-got-1000-units).
If money was all you needed for a brand build-out, said Fox, the
sandwich chain would have thousands of restaurants right now. It's
down to the people and how they operate and engage with your brand,
according to the CEO.
The brand was founded by the firefighting Sorensen brothers,
and its theme is based on police and fire service. Currently, there
are 31 Firehouse locations in California, including in Los Angeles,
Orange, Santa Ana and Simi Valley. At the end of this year, the
chain expects to have 1,050 locations as it continues its expansion
across the Bahamas, Mexico, Canada and the US and works on entering
into nontraditional sites, such as airports, military bases and
school campuses.
Partners Vivek Malkan and Jash Asit are the new owners of the
Rowland Heights store on Colima Road. According to Malkan, the
partners favored the
sandwich chain because it stands behind its
franchisees and is involved in the community. In 2005, the
franchiser established a foundation that provides equipment,
educational opportunities and funding to public safety
organizations and first responders. To date, the organization has
given away more than $20 million dollars.
California Restaurant Association CEO and President Jot Condie
noted that Firehouse's growth in the state is noteworthy because
there is intense competition. According to Condie, the consumer
trend toward grab-and-go is what is feeding sandwich chain growth,
and he expects this consumer shift to continue.
Firehouse
Subs has franchising opportunities available across
the country, including in Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota
and New York. Those who qualify will have a credit score of 650 or
higher and at least $80,000 available to invest. The franchise fee
for one unit is $20,000, and the total investment starts at
$131,150 and goes to $928,405 depending on location site and store
size.
