Long-awaited Firehouse Subs opens

LOWER PROVIDENCE » A hoagie by any other name is just as tasty — as long as it’s a Firehouse Subs original.

That was the prevailing attitude of the crowd that lined up on Wednesday morning when Firehouse Subs opened in the newly constructed Audubon Square Expansion retail center at 725 S. Trooper Road, Audubon.

Founded by firefighting brothers Robin and Chris Sorensen in 1994 in Jacksonville, Fla. — where the sandwich we know and love as a “hoagie” is referred to as a “sub” — the chain is at long last bringing its firefightingthemed menu, decor and charitable philosophy to the Norristown area, thanks to the tenaciousness of franchisee Chris Clendenen, a South Jersey native.

The process that was sparked the day Clendenen discovered the yet-to-be-built spot that he was sure would be ideal for launching his first Firehouse Subs location and then finalized the day Starbucks and Sprint finally welcomed their new neighbor in the tiny strip center took well over two years, he said.

“It took me over a year just to find this property, and that’s with circling three states. I had the ability to go wherever I thought I could do the best, which most people don’t have that luxury,” noted Clendenen, who has plans to open four more locations in the near future, two of them most likely in King of Prussia and East Norriton. “A few locations fell through for me — one in Concordville, a couple in Cherry Hill, one in Christiana. And then this popped up and it took a year just to negotiate the lease.”

Even during numerous construction delays, the culinary school grad and onetime commercial cleaning entrepreneur never doubted that he and Firehouse Subs would make a perfect part-

GARY PULEO — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Owner Chris Clendenen realized his dream when his first Firehouse Subs location opened in Audubon on Wednesday.