Firehouse Subs Planning Eagan Restaurant Location

Over the next several years, Florida-based restaurant company Firehouse Subs plans to open 54 sandwich restaurants across Minnesota, including one in Eagan, according to company representatives.

Firehouse Subs' Minnesota representative Ron Harris said the company doesn't yet have an opening date or a site chosen for the Eagan restaurant, and is still looking for a franchisee for an Eagan store. Still, the company opened its first Minnesota site in Maplewood last year and is committed to its plans for a location in Eagan, Harris added.

The rollout of restaurants in Minnesota is part of a larger push by Firehouse to develop more than 2,000 restaurants across the country, Harris said. The company already has more than 500 locations in 31 states. Other Minnesota locations could include Duluth, St. Cloud, Bloomington and Minnetonka, Harris said.

Harris, who will serve as a company consultant for Minnesota, has worked for more than 20 years in the restaurant industry, including Red Lobster and Macaroni Grill. Firehouse caught Harris' eye in part because of its commitment to fund public safety organizations—the restaurant was founded by former firefighters and has donated $3.9 million to emergency responders through its nonprofit foundation.

Harris described the restaurant chain as "fast-casual" and said it focuses on heartier servings and higher-quality meat; large sandwiches have a half-pound of meat, and meat options include pastrami, corned beef and beef brisket, among others. The restaurants are typically decorated with a "firehouse" theme, Harris said.

"I researched many companies, but Firehouse Subs stood out with its loyal supporters in an industry plagued with generics," Harris wrote in a press release. "I saw an enterprise with a great story, as well as substance and passionate people in leadership positions producing verifiably strong results.

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