A Firehouse unlike any other

Firehouse Subs “Restaurant of the Future,” is the chain’s first fundamental redesign in 25 years of operation. The unit opened July 2 in Firehouse’s home market of Jacksonville, Florida, at 489 Durbin Pavilion Parkway.

CEO Don Fox said in a statement the prototype “provides a better Firehouse Subs experience that adapts to today’s busy guests, while still placing focus on the support of first responders and the communities we serve.”

It features improved efficiency with a repositioned ordering area and a designated space for “Rapid Rescue To Go” orders. Beyond the flow updates, Firehouse introduced new furnishing, fixtures, finishes, and graphics. All elements are designed to demonstrate Firehouse’s commitment to community and first responders, the brand said.

There’s also a new community table in the front that seats six in honor of the shared family-style experience of a fire station.

Additionally, Firehouse redesigned the back of the house to provide a more streamlined setup for employees.

“At the start of this project, we needed to address the pain points from an operational and customer standpoint, in addition to refreshing our look to remain relevant and current,” added John Namey, Firehouse’s vice president of real estate services.

Namey said Firehouse conducted a guest survey before landing on the changes. “We wanted to fix the customer flow to make it clearer for our guests on where to order. We also knew there was an opportunity for improvement on our production line—there’s a lot of motion between crew members to make one of our signature subs, and we’ve come up with a solution that we hope will be a quicker experience for our guests,” he said.

Brand experience firm Big Red Rooster designed the prototype.

The Durbin restaurant’s décor reflects Firehouse’s fire and police service history (its founders Robin and Chris Sorensen were firefighters) with a community collage. It features photos and décor relevant to the area’s first responders and a custom, hand-painted mural by Joe Puskas. The artist and his team have painted more than 1,165 murals since Firehouse opened in 1994.

The store will also feature the latest version of the touch-screen operated Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain, Freestyle 9100.

Here’s a look inside the new store.

Better flow, easier orders.

All-new branding and decor elements.

The dedication to service is on full display.

The design elements remain true to Firehouse’s founding mission.

Seating was updated as well.

The flow from to-go to dine-in is more defined.

Another look at some of the decor elements.

The to-go window helps streamline digital orders.

The modern look centers on functionality.