New Subway shop opens in Northfield

By Matthew Poitras
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Downtown Northfield now has a new national brand restaurant on the corner of East Street and Main, following the opening of a Subway sandwich shop on Sept. 18.

Subway owners Lisa and Bruce Youngbluth, who also own the building, decided to open up a restaurant for relatively simple reasons.

"We liked the town, and we decided to retire and open a business," Lisa said. "We didn't like not being able to get a sandwich or something to eat at night."

During the course of the three years they have lived and worked in Northfield, the Youngbluths questioned town students and Norwich University students before they decided what kind of restaurant Northfield would support.

The feedback they got showed an interest in a fast food style establishment. Instead of opening an independent sandwich shop, which Northfield already has, the Youngbluths decided to open a Subway.

"We wanted the name recognition, because this is a college town," Bruce said. "It's the fastest growing franchise in the United States."

Since the store name has national recognition and corporate advertising behind it, the Youngbluths are confident in their business' ability to succeed.

"We looked at the competition, and for us to shell out the money and this much interest, it didn't seem like it was going to be a problem," Mr. Youngbluth said.

With sandwiches available at nearby Mobil stations, the Common Café, and DeFelice's Sandwich Shop and Café, there is plenty of competition.

"From end to end, including all the mom and pop stores, there are 21 places in Northfield to get a sandwich," said Robert DeFelice, owner of DeFelice's. His sandwich shop is located nearest to the new Subway.

Even though it seems likely, the close proximity of the two shops do not make them the harshest competitors.

The Youngbluths say their prime customers will be students looking for place to get food at night, and families here in Northfield. Their shop "fits the needs of the town and the university," Bruce said. "Students still exist way after 6 o'clock, and their needs aren't being met."

With the exception of China Star, most restaurants in the Northfield area do not stay open as late as Subway. DeFelice's is open from 7 a.m. through 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Subway is open at 10 a.m. everyday, then closes at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The Youngbluths expect their customer base also to include people who are driving through town and looking for a restaurant name they recognize.

As for DeFelice's Café, "he's in a different market niche," Bruce said. "His prices are a little bit different, geared for different people."

DeFelice is in agreement with the Youngbluths.

With a customer base made up of Norwich faculty and downtown Northfield employees, DeFelice says that the business Norwich students generate do not warrant keeping his store open past 4 p.m.

Along with this customer base, DeFelice said his image of his café is enough to draw some people.

"Certain upscale people look for that cute little place, like the Warren (General) Store, or Montpelier's Country Store," said DeFelice. "That's what we represent in Northfield, that's what people have told me."

A "cute little place" like DeFelice's is in sharp contrast to the bright interior lights and exterior signage of the new Subway. Some may view this as a change in the image of downtown Northfield.

"I don't think there's anything that could happen on the Common that would change the image you've got there," said Charlie Morse, Northfield Town Manager. "I think you want to have a business center so people can easily shop there."

Morse, who has been Town Manager for two years, says Subway's national status is a not a bad thing for Northfield. He lists Ace hardware, Dunkin' Donuts, and TDS Telecom as three national businesses already comfortably located on the downtown Common of Depot Square.

"They're here in town. NAPA auto parts, that's global. So you've got one global, and three corporate entities already in town. Subway is not a new idea."

Morse also said the Subway is different from other fast food chains.

"With Subway coming in, it's corporate, but it's still a mom-and-pop shop. It's a neighbor who owns it, and he's going to be feeding his family from it," Morse said. "Who cares if it's a trademark store or not? Quite simply, they live in Northfield, and they're trying to make a dollar, too."

While the Subway shop is locally owned, that does not mean the store does not cause some concern.

Tanya Law, a Northfield resident, views the new Subway as both positive and negative for Northfield.

"It's a positive thing for the town, because it's another chain coming in," said Law. "That way, we're not seen as just another hokey town; we actually have big chains coming in and making money. Probably a few people will think it will be nice, but I'm a little worried. I like DeFelice's a lot, and I hope everything goes okay for him."

As far as Norwich students are concerned, the new sandwich shop is a benefit to the student body.

Jennifer Mathewson, a 22-year-old senior from Vt., majoring in Accounting and Management, is delighted with the presence of a Subway in Northfield.

"There's a whole coalition of us in the Mill area that are all saying, 'Gotta go to Subway! Gotta get away from the Mill!'"

While some students may be tired of the food provided by Sodexho, the university food service, heavy workloads may prevent students from heading to Subway during the week, according to Adam Kennedy, a 20-year-old Junior, Computer Science major from Mass.

"Subway is just going to be a benefit over the weekends," Kennedy said. "I know the marines will go down there just because of Major Youngbluth."

Occupying the former storefront of Showtime Video, Subway has filled up a retail space that has been empty for almost three years. With three empty storefronts still in town, Morse is happy to have businesses opening to fill them up.

"You've got empty storefronts, why wouldn't you want to fill them?" He asked. As long as the businesses coming in do not promote an unhealthy lifestyle, and as long as "they can pay the rent, I don't think anybody would argue" which businesses choose to open in town.

The Youngbluths say that the town welcomed them in. Before they were open, they could "hardly walk down the street without somebody asking, 'When are you going to open?'"

"It's been real favorable," Bruce said. "There's always that one percent, but we haven't heard anything negative."

Northfield has been receptive to other national chains, and there has been no widespread community criticism of the corporation-linked Subway.

"They eat the donuts, they buy the car parts, they shop at the pharmacy, so they're going to eat Subway sandwiches too," Morse said.

With so many different places to eat a sandwich in Northfield, everyone has their favorites, so all the businesses can be supported, Morse said.

Now that the Subway is open, the community will decide how the new store influences the town.

"Will Subway affect the downtown area?" ponders DeFelice. "Only time will tell."

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