Lately, sandwich chains like Quiznos and Subway have been on a roll, so to speak, in Ann Arbor. The former has struck a deal for concessions inside Meijer, and the latter is the fastest growing fast-food franchise in the country.
But all is not perfect in sandwich land. A Quiznos closed in October on West Stadium, at the difficult-to-navigate ganglion where it meets Jackson and Maple. Franchisee Ashok Vashi couldn’t be reached (his home phone number was disconnected), but he hinted a few years ago that things were not going well. Interviewed in May of 2009 about the closing of Portofino Coffee next door, he said that his rent was around $2,500 a month and business was down 30 to 40 percent from the previous year. (Another tenant in the building, who asked not to be named, said, “The rent’s not the problem. We all pay the same rent.”)
A long-awaited Subway at the new Platt Road Center, near Packard, appears to be finally readying itself for business. Furniture has been delivered and other delivery notices were posted to the door. At press time, franchise owner Mike Heffner hadn’t returned phone calls.
