Potbelly Sandwich Shop will hold its official grand opening of its first location in Tucson, Tuesday, June 3rd, 5545 E. Broadway Boulevard, #103 in Tucson, in the recently-renovated and now 100% leased center anchored by Hobby Lobby and Stein Mart at the northeast corner of Broadway & Craycroft.
Nancy McClure, First Vice-President of CBRE in Tucson handled the 100% lease-up for the landlord. Zach Pace of Phoenix Commercial Advisors represented Potbelly in this transaction.
Photos shown were taken Monday at the company’s invitation-only “soft opening”. McClure told us, she thinks the place looks great. "They had a fleet of people behind the counter and the crowd flowed well with a line that started out the door,” said McClure.
Potbelly Sandwich Shops have their humble beginnings from an antique store, long before the sandwiches were toasted and cookies were on straws. There was a young couple who owned an antique shop on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. This quirky shop of memories was doing well, but the determined couple knew they could always do better.
They decided to start serving lunch to their curious, collecting customers. As time passed the "little antique shop that could" was slowly turning into quite the lunchtime getaway, complete with toasty warm sandwiches, homemade desserts and even live music.
Then in 1996, an ambitious, entrepreneurial young man named Bryant Keil bought the original store in Chicago, Illinois. Together with his team, Bryant set out to spread the Potbelly love across the country, creating shops with the same neighborhood feel as the original.
Today, the magic continues with more than 280 Potbelly Sandwich Shops in neighborhoods around the country.
In addition to the Broadway location, a second Potbelly Sandwich Shop will open soon at 1031 N Park Avenue, south of Speedway on Park in Tucson.
McClure should be reached at (520) 323.5117 for more information.