When husband and wife Keeya and James Gillard decided to start a business, restaurants weren't at the top of their list. They'd owned other businesses in the past, but never an eatery. However, that changed when the couple ate at a Firehouse Subs in Houston, Texas.
Hooked on the food and atmosphere, the two franchisees decided to open their own Firehouse location back in November of 2015 at Highway 60 and FM 365 in Port Arthur, Texas. On June 1, the new location celebrated its opening by having a ribbon cutting ceremony in conjunction with the local Chamber of Commerce.
Keeya is running the daily operations of the business, with James, who is a Beaumont Firefighter, helping out wherever he can. The new store's interior resembles a firehouse, a hallmark of the sandwich franchise business brand, along with historic photos and a mural that celebrates Port Arthur's firefighters.
Firehouse is also known for its Public Safety Foundation, which donates to local first responding and emergency personnel departments and schools. Last year, the franchiser donated a total of $5 million across all its locations. James and Keeya, who are also currently looking for a spot to open a second location in Beaumont, say giving back is part of their business model and that they hope to be approved to help a department in the community soon.
The Firehouse Franchise Opportunity
First opened in 1994 by firefighting brothers Robin and Chris Sorensen, Firehouse Subs serves an array of specialty subs, sandwiches and salads. There are currently close to 1,000 locations across the US, and the growing chain is seeking franchisees in many markets, including Florida, Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland and New York. This hot franchise opportunity has a franchise fee of $20,000, with the initial investment ranging from $131,150 to $928,405.
