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Jersey Mike’s Subs is preparing to open two news stores on September 5.
One of the two stores will be the chain’s 16th Phoenix-area restaurant. Father and son franchise owners Bill and Sean Mapes will hold a grand opening and free sub fundraiser from September 5 to September 9 to support the 100 Club of Arizona (Firefighter and Police Support Club).
The new restaurant, located at 4603 East Cactus Rd, Suite 2A01, Village Square II, in Phoenix, will circulate 10,000 coupons throughout the community offering a free regular sub for a minimum $1 contribution to the 100 Club of Arizona, which provides immediate financial assistance to the families of public safety officers and firefighters who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty as well as resources to enhance their safety and welfare.
Bill Mapes introduced the Jersey Shore subs to Arizona in 2008 when he opened the first restaurant in Tempe. Since then, he has opened others in Scottsdale, Glendale, Phoenix, and Chandler for a total of nine area locations, with the 10th opening in Scottsdale in October. He recently purchased locations in neighboring Las Vegas and is opening his third restaurant in that market in September, too.
This is the third location Mapes has opened with his son, Sean, 25. The two also operate Jersey Mike’s restaurants in Scottsdale and Las Vegas. In addition, Mapes’ son Corey, age 29, is an owner in restaurants in Las Vegas and Glendale, and son Ryan, 30, handles marketing. In 2011, Jersey Mike’s presented Mapes and his wife, Leslie, a Multi-unit Franchise Owner of the Year Award.
“Having my three sons participate in the family business is a dream come true,” Mapes says. “One of the primary reasons why I came to Jersey Mike’s was the atmosphere of opportunity and the ability to get them involved in the business. It’s wonderful to see all the kids become entrepreneurs themselves.”
Mapes is a strong proponent of giving over responsibility to each and every member of his team once they’ve shown they know how to do things the Jersey Mike’s way.
“I expect everyone on the team to be polite and willing to do anything required of them,” Mapes says. “Then, I will give every one of them a chance to take ownership and to manage when it’s needed. I want them to run the store as if it was their own.I want them to think like they will own a Jersey Mike’s some day because if they want to, I will help them.”
He adds that 10 out of their 12 managers at their Phoenix and Las Vegas locations moved up the ranks internally, starting as sub makers. “Having long time employees who grow with the business creates a strong sense of family and camaraderie,” he said.
Started at the Jersey Shore in 1956, Jersey Mike’s continued its steady growth in 2011 opening 69 new restaurants throughout the country, a 15 percent increase overall. The popular sub shop wins best sub awards in virtually every market it enters.
The other Jersey Mike’s unit to open on September 5 will be the company’s second restaurant in Michigan. Franchise owners and local Oakland and Macomb County residents Bob Middleton, Carl Chandler, and Bill Biga will hold a grand opening and free sub fundraiser from September 5 to September 9 to support two local schools: Utica High School Athletic Boosters and Eppler Junior High School Athletic Boosters.
This is the first of 20 Jersey Mike’s locations the three plan to open in the next five years in Oakland and Macomb Counties. Another location is scheduled to open in Rochester Hills by the end of the year. The East Coast sub sensation opened its first Michigan restaurant in Ann Arbor back in May.
The new restaurant, located at 12161 23 Mile Rd, will circulate 10,000 coupons throughout the community, half offering a free regular sub for a minimum $1 contribution to Utica High School Athletic Boosters and the other half offering the same deal to support the Eppler Junior High School’s Athletic Boosters.
“We love athletics, which teach important life skills related to teamwork, competition, and discipline, and we are happy to support our local schools,” Middleton says. “In fact, we selected Jersey Mike’s as a brand because of its successful business model that allows giving back to the community. We met Jersey Mike’s Founder and CEO Peter Cancro and immediately saw we shared a deep passion for making a difference in people’s lives.”
Long-time partners Middleton and Chandler also own 28 Little Caesars Pizza restaurants in Toronto and Indiana, as well as two Del Taco and two Sonic restaurants in Michigan.
