Sean Sullivan | Jersey Mike’s Subs | North Providence, Raynham and two locations in Warwick
The pitch: Jersey Mike’s Subs offers sliced and grilled sub sandwiches, using fresh food products from local suppliers. Staffers also engage with customers.
Years in business: 13
Employees: 40
Cost to obtain franchise: $18,500 franchise fee; $237,419-$766,971 total approximate investment
Before opening franchise: Sullivan was employed in the hospitality industry, including in restaurants, and transitioned to events and marketing. He also spent several years in the front office for the New York Yankees, working under the late George Steinbrenner, then owner of the team.
Reason for opening: Sullivan has always had an “entrepreneurial spirit” and wanted to go into business for himself, he said, and then came across the Jersey Mike’s brand and was impressed by the business model. In 2006, Sullivan purchased the North Providence location and subsequently acquired the Warwick and Raynham locations.
“I say [George Steinbrenner] liked me very much [when I worked for the Yankees], so much so that he only fired me three times, which is way below the average. I wear that as a badge of honor.”
“To bring people into the stores, [we’ve] got to have a great product. I really think [our operation] is second to none. There’s not a lot of sub shops out there that are really authentic, that kind of fresh-sliced, fresh-grilled right in front of you. We use fresh produce from local suppliers, only the top-quality meats and cheeses. We try to provide a great experience rather than walking into, say, a fast-food restaurant where everyone has their heads down. We really try to make a difference in everyone’s lives.”
“Community is just a keystone of our company. Every year, we give hundreds of thousands of dollars of product to hundreds of organizations throughout Rhode Island. In addition to that, every March, we set aside a whole month to raise money for a nonprofit. In one day that month, we donate all of our sales to our nonprofit. This year, we raised $15,000 for the Hole In the Wall Gang Camp, a summer camp that serves children and their families coping with cancer and other [illnesses]. It’s so rewarding to see our employees rally behind it.”
“I was a little younger when I got into this, and you expect everything to kind of happen overnight. It took a long, long while to really feel like I was in a good spot where I felt like we’re operating the way we wanted to operate. But, having that grit and determination to not give up and keep going was something I learned and was a real area for my growth in the business life.”
Franchise owners interested in being included in an upcoming Franchisee feature can contact PBN Researcher James Bessette at (401) 680-4838 or Research@PBN.com.
