Photo by Adam LarkeyJacksonville, Fla.-based Firehouse Subs opened its first airport location in the chain’s hometown.
The new location debuts a new nontraditional design as well as a new breakfast menu for travelers.
“The space we had to work with is definitely unconventional for our brand,” says Firehouse Subs’ CEO Don Fox. “Our normal kitchen design has a very linear style, and in this space, we had to compress and change the layout in a significant way. Fortunately, our normal equipment package is very modular, and we were able to reconfigure it without too much difficulty.”
One of the bigger challenges was bringing the brand experience to the airport. The chain’s decor package typically includes coats, hats, photos and other items donated from local fire departments. “In a nontraditional setting like Jacksonville International Airport, you have to find creative ways to bring some of those elements into the design. In this case, we were delighted to be able to include a custom mural — a signature item in every traditional Firehouse Subs restaurant.”
Firehouse plans to grow in the nontraditional space. “Nothing is really off-limits,” says Fox. “We hope to expand our footprint into academic institutions, military installations as well as entertainment venues.”