POCATELLO — The eight months of anticipation will officially end this week for those who have been patiently waiting for “The Juice” from Jersey Mike’s.
Following a successful soft opening held for the VIP’s on Monday evening, Jersey Mike’s in Pocatello is set to officially open its doors on Wednesday.
“I don’t even know how to put into words how excited we are to have a Jersey Mike’s here in town,” said Kirk Lepchenske, membership manager for the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce. “Jersey Mike’s is going to be a wonderful addition to the community that will offer more food options for the Idaho State University community and businesses in that area, and the fact that these guys want to be so involved in the community and make a positive impact is something we are so excited about.”
For the uninitiated, Jersey Mike’s is a submarine sandwich shop that first opened as a mom-and-pop business in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, in 1956 and has grown to more than 2,000 locations open and under development across the U.S.
The Pocatello Jersey Mike’s will be the fifth store that Eric Schindler, part-owner of the franchisee company, has opened in recent years, adding to those already located in Twin Falls, Ammon, Burley and Jerome. Schindler said he has had his sights set on the Gate City market for a while, adding that he’s thrilled to finally see the endeavor come to fruition.
“Originally, we wanted Pocatello to be the second location that we opened but we ended up not being able to find commercial real estate that we could agree on price-wise,” Schindler said. “So we opened up in Ammon after the Twin Falls store, but we absolutely love this market.”
Schindler said that he and his partner were the former operators of the Buffalo Wild Wings on Hurley Drive making him familiar with the area.
“We really, really enjoy this community,” he said. “I am a big fan of the local market communities. I moved to Idaho from the panhandle of Florida in 2012. I really appreciate the slower pace, but larger scale of life. The feeling that you get when you drive into this little cove that is Pocatello is just very cool to me.”
Don Zebe, a commercial real estate broker for Colliers who, along with his two sons Jared and Mike, worked to bring in Jersey Mike’s alongside its neighbor Starbucks and soon-to-be neighbor Cupbop.
All three businesses will be located at 515 E. Benton St., which was the former site of an Idaho Central Credit Union branch before the new branch building was constructed across the street.
Aside from finding a location to put Jersey Mike’s, Schindler said the process of getting the store up and running was virtually painless. He said the Pocatello location will be managed by local employees and that he expects the store to add about 20 to 25 jobs to the area. And it’s those people, Schindler says, that makes each sub from Jersey Mike’s “a sub above.”
“The sandwiches here are going to be delicious because they’re made the right way with all the right ingredients,” Schindler says. “The people are what is going to make a difference. The staff in the building have been with us for two weeks now and I can only speak very highly of all of them. It’s been an incredible experience to get to know everybody from this area.”
Second to the people making the subs, what makes Jersey Mike’s unique, according to Schindler, is something he described as “The Juice.” Jersey Mike’s website describes “The Juice” as a red wine vinegar and olive oil blend.
“If you want me to sell you on a sandwich, all I need to say is the juice,” Schindler said. “Honestly, the juice is the difference and if they don’t know what the juice is they’re going to have to come find out what it’s all about.”
But if you are one who is keen on suggestions, Schindler’s go-to sub is the No. 9, the Club Supreme, which includes roast beef, turkey, swiss and applewood smoked bacon. (He adds cherry pepper relish to his.) The most popular sub nationwide, including the Idaho stores, is the No. 13, the Original Italian, which includes provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni.
“If I go with a hot sandwich I pick the chicken bacon ranch,” he said. “But I am a big beef guy, which is why I moved from Florida to Idaho because I heard they have good beef here, so the Philly cheese steak is always good, too.”
A massive component of Jersey Mike’s is its philanthropic efforts within the communities that each location calls home. Schindler said he is really looking forward to the opportunities to partner with local schools and Idaho State University. In fact, he and others involved behind the scenes recently distributed 7,000 cards to various businesses and local residents that attended the Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair on Saturday that serve as both a fundraiser to Pocatello High School and as a discount to local sub sandwich seekers.
“Basically with these cards we ask that you make a $3 donation to Pocatello High School and then come in and get a free sub from us,” Schindler said. “So between May 1 and May 5 those cards will be accepted at our Pocatello location and it basically brings down the cost of a regular-sized sub from about $10 to just $3.”
Schindler says he has done the same donation fundraiser during the launches of the four previous stores, which resulted in a $4,500 donation to Canyon Ridge High School in Twin Falls, $4,000 to Hillcrest High School in Ammon and about $2,500 each for Burley and Jerome high schools.
“We are looking to set a record for ourselves so we are shooting for no less than $5,000 to Pocatello High School,” Schindler said. “The higher the better, so if we get to something like $15,000 that would be incredible, it really depends on how many cards come back to us.”
Schindler continued, “And while it’s going to start with Pocatello High School, our philanthropic doors are going to be wide open after that and we are always looking to make big splashes.”
The Pocatello Jersey Mike’s will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week excluding Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.
To learn more about Jersey Mike’s visit its website and follow them on Facebook or Instagram .
Most Popular
Comments / 0