Subway sandwich shop opens in the Hines Building in downtown Muskegon
MUSKEGON -- The opening of another Subway sandwich shop is not a major event, unless it's in the re-emerging Muskegon downtown.
Muskegon Subway franchise owner Pete Gawkowski is testing the downtown waters with his 17th outlet. It opened Wednesday in the Hines Building, 380 W. Western.
And the stakes are high as the community tries to dig out of the current economic recession and keep momentum in downtown redevelopment.
If successful, Subway could pave the way for other downtown businesses. A less-than-stellar opening could have others put the brakes on further business expansions in the downtown.
"This is our contribution to the rebirth of downtown Muskegon," said Gawkowski, whose GNS Subway Inc. has sandwich shops from Newaygo to Grand Haven.
"There is a good chance that this will not be a high-volume, high-profit outlet at the start," he said. "This is all about being part of the downtown rebirth. We expect the summertime to eventually carry this."
However, difficulties in completing the first-level Hines Building space for the 89-seat restaurant kept it from opening for the summer festival season. Gawkowski had planned to have the Subway open prior to Muskegon Bike Time in mid-July.
However, his opening comes just prior to Baker College of Muskegon's unveiling of the Culinary Institute of Michigan, one block south on Third Street. By the end of the month, Baker's professional food school will have up to 400 students and staff -- all of which are new potential downtown customers for a shop like Subway.
The downtown Subway is Gawkowski's largest and also sells Seattle's Best Coffee -- a national Starbucks' brand. With coffee and a new breakfast sandwich -- an omelet that can be put on sandwich or flat bread -- the new Subway's hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
"This is a bigger Subway ... it's a nice investment downtown," said Ed Garner, president of Muskegon Area First -- the economic development agency that manages the downtown Muskegon Main Street promotional organization.
"We think Subway is a perfect fit for the downtown, and we hope it spurs other developments," Garner said. "The goal is to build downtown (foot) traffic, especially with Baker opening up."
The downtown Subway is opening with a staff of about 10. The manager is Rikki Vallie, who comes from GNS's outlet on Harvey Street near The Lakes Mall.
