Business & Tech

Firehouse Subs Extinguishes Hunger in Berkley

Local owner David Watson opened his franchise of the restaurant founded by firemen on Thursday. A mural on the wall celebrates local firefighters.

A news release:

Firehouse Subs announced the grand opening of its first location in Berkley on Jan. 23. The award-winning fast casual restaurant chain is famous for serving premium meats and cheeses steamed piping hot and piled high on a toasted sub roll, which is served “Fully Involved” with fresh produce and condiments.

Founded by former firefighting brothers, the restaurant’s firehouse décor is based on the founding family’s decades of fire and police service, and the new location is decorated with firefighter memorabilia.       

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The restaurant is located at 28557 Woodward Ave. and is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.    

Firehouse Subs restaurants boast a custom, hand-painted mural that pays tribute to the local community. The Berkley mural features Berkley Fire Department firefighters extinguishing a flaming Shelby Cobra sports car, a scene from the Woodward Dream Cruise.

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Three young boys are depicted looking on in admiration of the firefighters courage, with the Detroit skyline framing the background. Chief Mural Artist Joe Puskas and his team paint every mural from his studio at Firehouse Subs Headquarters. Since the opening of the first Firehouse Subs in 1994, Puskas has painted more than 720 murals.      

Firehouse Subs extinguishes guests’ hunger with medium and large hot specialty subs, including the number one selling, Hook & Ladder sub, served with smoked turkey breast and Virginia honey ham smothered with Monterey Jack cheese. Other top sellers include the Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket loaded with USDA choice beef brisket smoked for at least 16 hours in an authentic Texas smokehouse and topped with melted cheddar cheese and a special combination of sauces, including Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce. Inspired by New York delicatessens, the New York Steamer combines corned beef brisket and pastrami topped with melted provolone. All large specialty subs boast a half-pound of meat.    

Unique to Firehouse Subs is Captain Sorensen’s Datil Pepper Hot Sauce, named in honor of the founding brothers’ father, Rob Sorensen, a 43-year retired fire captain. he sauce has a spicy-sweet flavor from the datil pepper, a hot pepper similar to habaneros but with a sweeter taste. Firehouse Subs, the largest user of datil peppers in the world, will produce more than 60,000 gallons of its signature hot sauce this year. Additionally, each restaurant offers an assortment of 50+ complimentary hot sauces.

The touch-screen operated Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain is available in every restaurant and offers 120+ sparkling and still beverage brands with 70+ regular and low-calorie options. Choices include the top selling non-carbonated fountain drink, Cherry Lime-Aid® and Cherry Lime-Aid Light®, exclusive original recipes by Firehouse Subs, served with fresh squeezed lime.

In 2005, Firehouse Subs created the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation with the mission of providing funding, life-saving equipment, and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations. Many first responders make do with older equipment and have limited or no access to needed resources, but Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has given $8.3 million to hometown heroes in 39 states and Puerto Rico, including more than $93,300 in Michigan. Local fundraising initiatives include recycling empty five-gallon pickle buckets and selling them to guests for $2 each, a Round Up Program allowing guests to “round up” their bill to the nearest dollar, and spare change donation canisters.

About Firehouse Subs

Firehouse Subs is a fast casual restaurant chain with a passion for Hearty and Flavorful Food, Heartfelt Service and Public Safety. Founded by brothers and former firefighters Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs is a brand built on decades of fire and police service, steaming hot subs piled higher with the highest quality meats and cheeses, and its commitment to saving lives through the creation of Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The founders are the real deal, the food is their creation, and the company is built upon a family of franchise operators who share their same passion for serving others. Firehouse Subs consistently ranks No. 1 among fast casual brands in the categories of food quality, friendly service, and taste and flavor; for the last two years Franchise Business Review named Firehouse Subs No. 1 in franchisee satisfaction, and in 2013 Firehouse Subs was ranked No. 1 in growth by Nation's Restaurant News.



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