Jersey Mike’s is my third-favorite sandwich chain. A few years ago, I was elated when one opened in Kalispell, and I was a frequent visitor.
When we moved to El Centro, a new Jersey Mike’s was under construction. But according to multiple sources, it had been under construction for many months. Nothing seemed to change, and one rumor was that they’d aborted the effort and abandoned the restaurant. Disappointing.
But on Sunday, there was suddenly a new sign on the side of the building: “Grand opening in 3 days!” Sweet! Wednesday came, and we headed there for lunch.
It was an absolute madhouse, packed with people who were so excited to have a sandwich shop that wasn’t one of the four Subways in town. We talked to a couple of the workers as they furiously built our sandwiches. They were brothers who’d been flown out here from New Jersey (of course!) to oversee the first week of operation. With a crew of a dozen employees bustling behind the counter, these two were calmly and efficiently putting together sandwiches for the dozens of people in line. I could see why the company sends out their elite squad for a new store.
The excitement will likely die down soon, and then I can start getting weekly sandwiches there. Woo hoo!