Two Point Beach Alums Launch Jersey Mike's into Southwest Jersey

Two Point Beach High School alumni are about to open the first Jersey Mike's Subs in South Jersey.

Matt Catania, brother of Point Beach High School coach Nick Catania, and John Helm, both 31, are opening the sandwich shop at The Shoppes of Cinnaminson on South Route 130.

The five-day grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 12 through Oct. 16.

Helm and his wife, Stephanie, and three children live in Point Borough and Catania lives in Brielle.

Helm and Catania, both Point Beach High School graduates, had met on the school basketball team and later coached at the school.

Helm owns two Jersey Mike’s Subs stores in Brick. Catania, who practiced law for five years, says the sandwich shop partners will sign a lease in the next week for another store in the East Gate Square Shopping Center in Moorestown, near Jos. A. Bank Clothiers.

“If all goes well, we hope to open three more shops,” said Catania, who is looking for a place to live not far from the Cinnaminson store. “We are out scouting locations in Marlton, Voorhees and Cherry Hill.”

To celebrate the grand opening, the franchise owners will offer sandwiches to anyone who has one of the more than 10,000 coupons being distributed throughout the community and schools, plus a minimum contribution of $1.

Patrons can choose to donate the funds to either or Palmyra high schools.   

“These are the type of promotions the company does each time it opens a new store,” said Catania.

The white-tiled eatery will employ 15 to 20 employees.

“Reaching out to the people of the community is a key factor for us,” said Catania.

Peter Cancro, chief executive officer and founder, began working at what was then called "Mike’s Subs" in Point Beach in 1972 when he was 14. At 17, he made an ambitious move and bought the store when the former owner decided to sell.

“Ironically, he was too young to run a slicing machine,” said Jeff Hemschoot, marketing manager of Jersey Mike’s Subs, regarding rules set by the U.S. Department of Labor.

In the late 1980s, Cancro changed the name to Jersey Mike’s Subs after expanding the business. Now, franchises averaging $300,000 are in 29 states, with the 500th store to open in late October.

“All sandwiches are made-to-order,” Hemschoot said. “We slice the meat in front of the customer, and we bake our breads each morning.”