Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop announced the upcoming arrival of their first-ever Illinois location, broadening the company’s national presence to 17 states and federal districts. Franchisees Andy Poch and Craig Garofalo will be operating the new restaurant, projected to open in late 2015.

Both Poch and Garofalo have nearly 15 years in combined restaurant management experience. Their expertise in the industry make the pair good candidates to own and operate a Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop in Chicago’s competitive marketplace. Garofalo’s connection to the brand goes even further back to his childhood, when he first experienced the subs at the original Wilmington, Delaware, location. After Poch was introduced to Capriotti’s by Garofalo, the pair thought this was the type of business that would stand out in Chicago’s crowded food scene for its distinct traditions and quality of ingredients.

Upholding its tradition of slow-roasting whole turkeys in-house each night since 1976, Capriotti’s is dedicated to serving one-of-a-kind subs made with quality ingredients. Some of the award-winning sandwiches include the shop’s signature creation, The Bobbie, made with in-house roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, homemade stuffing, and a hint of mayo on a freshly baked roll; and the Capastrami, made with savory hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and cole slaw. Capriotti’s also offers a variety of vegetarian sub options like the Veggie Cheese Steak, as well as an assortment of hand-tossed salads such as The Black & Bleu, made with chopped greens, homemade roast beef, diced cucumbers, sweet peppers, and Bleu cheese crumbles.

“I cannot think of a better way to kick off the New Year than by expanding into a brand new market,” says Ashley Morris, CEO of Capriotti’s. “Establishing our footprint in a huge metropolis like Chicago is a tremendous feat and perfectly exemplifies our continued efforts to bring the Capriotti’s experience to communities and hubs all across the nation.”

“What really drew us to Capriotti’s and set the concept apart from others was just how much better the sandwiches tasted,” says franchisees Poch and Garofalo. “There is no other concept in the sandwich space that places as much emphasis as Capriotti’s does on the quality of the ingredients put into each menu offering.”