Potbelly Sandwich Works
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fast casual |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
| Key people | Bryant Keil Chairman Aylwin Lewis, President & CEO |
| Products | Sandwiches, Salads, Soups, Ice Cream |
| Revenue | $380 million |
| Website | potbelly.com |
Potbelly Sandwich Works is a privately held restaurant chain that sells submarine sandwiches in the United States. Its name is derived from potbelly stoves common in the late 19th century.[citation needed] The company is headquartered in the tower of the Merchandise Mart in the Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois.[1]
[edit] History
Potbelly Sandwich Works was founded in 1977 by Peter Hastings. The original store is located at 2264 North Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, in a retail space that was previously an antique store called Hindsight, also owned by Hastings. Many of the items that decorated the restaurant were taken from the former antique store. In 1998, Bryant Keil purchased the original store and expanded Potbelly to over 200 stores in several states and the District of Columbia.[2]
Potbelly's menu features a variety of sandwiches that are all served hot on regular or multigrain wheat bread. All sandwiches can be ordered "thin-cut" style, in which one third of the bread is cut out. Potbelly began offering salads in February 2007. The menu also includes soup, shakes, malts, smoothies, and cookies. Most restaurants feature live music from local musicians during the lunch hours.
The name of the store derives from Peter Hastings' hobby of restoring old potbelly stoves.[citation needed]
On November 5, 2007, a new Potbelly store in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, became the first to feature a drive-through. A second drive-through store was added shortly thereafter in Waukegan, Illinois.
In 2011, Potbelly opened two franchise stores in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; these are the first international Potbelly locations.
[edit] References
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions." Potbelly Sandwich Works. Retrieved on February 24, 2010.
- ^ Blessing, Anna H. (September 13, 2004). "Bob Schwartz: Potbelly's district manager is on the fast track, works with 'the people' to employ corporate standards". Nation's Restaurant News. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_37_38/ai_n6199049. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
