Known for its toasted, made-to-order sandwiches, hand-scooped milkshakes and other scratch-made comfort food, a Chicago-based chain is ready to debut its first Jacksonville restaurant.
Potbelly Sandwich Works plans to open on May 12 at 9908 Old Baymeadows Road in the Publix-anchored Deerwood Village shopping center, a restaurant spokesperson confirmed to the Times-Union.
The restaurant will celebrate its grand opening on May 16, she said.
The highly anticipated Deerwood Village restaurant is the first of seven planned Potbelly locations in Jacksonville, franchise owner Patrick Prendergast previously told the newspaper.
In the works for nearly two years, the roughly 1,566-square-foot Deerwood Village restaurant will have about 20 seats, he said. Prendergast has estimated that the Deerwood Village restaurant cost about $1 million.
The restaurant chain fills a gap in Jacksonville’s fast-casual dining scene, he said about the estimated timetable for the proposed Jacksonville restaurants.
“A sub’s a sub, and then there is a Potbelly sub. Potbelly’s sending it through the oven, and you get that golden crispy bread once it’s through. It’s never a bad experience,” noted Prendergast, who was 14 when he got a job at a Potbelly on the Southside of Chicago and made his first sub.
Second Jacksonville Potbelly moving ahead
As the Deerwood Village restaurant opens, a second Jacksonville Potbelly is already moving forward.
Prendergast has said he’s hoping for a mid-June opening for the Potbelly slated for 13529 Beach Blvd., Suite 101, at Hodges Station shopping center, in the Intracoastal West area.
The Hodges Station buildout is estimated at $600,000, according to the city building permit application. The status of the application — as of April 16 — was listed as “return for corrections,” according to the city website.
The Hodges Station and Deerwood Village restaurants are about the same size. But a drive-thru is planned at the Hodges Station location as an added convenience for diners, Prendergast has said.
On the Potbelly menu
Now, a multiple franchise owner at age 38, Prendergast said Potbelly is still as good and special as when he started with the restaurant chain.
“It’s not just sandwiches. It’s soups, it’s salads, it’s shakes, smoothies, mac and cheese and chili … a variety of taste experiences,” he said. “It’s all the above, and it’s unlike any sub experience that Jacksonville has today. And it’s always such a welcoming, warm environment. ‘Good people, good vibes,’ that’s Potbelly’s motto.”
Among Potbelly’s popular sandwiches are:
Established in 1977 in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, Potbelly has at least 450 stores nationwide, including 16 in Florida, according to its website.
(This story was edited to reflect an updated opening date for the Deerwood Village restaurant.)
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.
If you’re a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest dining coverage.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Potbelly sets opening date for first Jacksonville restaurant
Reporting by Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
