Jersey Mike's Sub Shop Opens Today with Free Subs

Jersey Mike's Sub Shop will be opening it's doors at 10 a.m. Wednesday - no doubt with a line out the door for free submarine sandwiches with a $1 donation to the Utica High Athletic Boosters Club.

The new shop, located at 12161 23 Mile Road, will be offering the $1 subs through Sunday. The offer is only good at the Shelby Township location. All the proceeds will be donated to and ' booster clubs.

Bill Biga, part owner of the Shelby Township franchise told Patch that he, along with his brother-in-law Bob Middleton and third partner Carl Chandler, had planned on opening the store with a fundraiser, so when the Oakland and Macomb county residents found out Utica Community Schools had , they decided to help raise money.

"I played sports all my life. I can't even imagine not being able to play in high school," said Biga.

Shelby Location First of 20 Jersey Mike's Sub Shops in Oakland and Macomb County

You may as well get used to seeing "coming soon" signs for new Jersey Mike's Subs.

Biga, Middleton and Chandler said they plan on opening 20 Jersey Mike's franchises in the next five years in Michigan. The second opening for the trio will be within the next few months in Rochester Hills. The only other Jersey Mike's to open in Michigan was in Ann Arbor in May. That location is owned by Peter Shipman.

Biga said they will be opening their locations as far west as Orchard Lake Road to the eastside, near Lake St. Clair and from I-696 up to 25 Mile Road.

"It's what we call unit economics," said Biga, who explained that the owners believe in tackling the market with multiple stores to increase marketing and earning potential. 

Along with the 20 stores, Biga said Jersey Mike's plans to hire nearly 400 people to manage and work them.

"Bob is a big believer of capitalism. He beleives you can achieve that by giving employees a nice pay and ownership plans," said Biga.

For Biga, who was the chief of security for Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan, this is his first venture in the restaurant industry.

However, his partners, Chandler and Middleton are no strangers to big restaurant businesses and owning franchises. The longtime partners collectively own 28 Little Caesars Pizza restaurants in Toronto and Indiana as well as 2 Del Taco and 2 Sonic® restaurants in Michigan.

The first Jersey Mike's opened in 1956, at the sea-side town of Point Pleasant, NJ.

Now, there are currently more than 750 Jersey Mike's franchises open and under development nationwide.

Biga suggest first-timers get the No. 13 Original Italian - Mike's Way.