Firehouse Subs

Planning is well under way for the 53rd annual SPECS conference, which will be held at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Fla., March 12–14, 2017. The event is produced by Chain Store Age and is attended by retail and foodservice executives involved in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of stores and restaurants nationwide.

Firehouse Subs has a lot more going for it than an interesting story. And the story is unique: A couple of Jacksonville firefighters — brothers, even — opened the first restaurant in 1994, selling sandwiches (with names like ‘Hook & Ladder,’ which is the No. 1 seller) within a decidedly firefighter-themed restaurant environment. The concept was hot from the get-go, leaping to over 300 units in its first decade and now numbering near 900 mostly franchised restaurants.

Charlottesville, Va. — Firehouse Subs has signed a 2,264-sq.-ft. lease for its first location in Charlottesville, Virginia — at 100 Shoppers World Court.

Divaris Real Estate’s Richmond, Virginia, office represented Firehouse Subs in the transaction. Divaris (www.divaris.com) has represented Firehouse in the site selection and lease negotiations for the majority of its Hampton Roads sites and for several locations in the greater Richmond area.