NEWS RELEASE
FIREHOUSE SUBS
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Firehouse Subs announces the grand opening of its first location in Orillia at 3220 Monarch Dr. (Unit 2) on Sunday, May 16, under the ownership of franchisees Nilam Shah and Ravish Shah.
Firehouse Subs serves premium meats and cheeses steamed and piled high on a toasted sub roll, served “fully involved” with fresh produce and condiments.
This is the 43rd Canadian location for the award-winning fast casual restaurant chain, which opened its first Ontario location in 2015.
Nilam was in the printing industry for 30 years before opening his first Firehouse Subs restaurant with nephew Ravish in Barrie in 2018. Ravish brings more than a decade of restaurant industry experience to their restaurants.
The Orillia restaurant marks the franchisee duo’s third location after acquiring the Vaughan Firehouse Subs earlier this year. Together along with Ravish’s wife Purvisha, who manages the Barrie location, the family-owned business is dedicated to providing hot and hearty subs and heartfelt service to all of their communities
“Over our years with Firehouse Subs, we’ve seen firsthand the impact the restaurant and Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada has on our neighborhoods and first responders,” said Ravish. “That’s what drove us to own our own locations - we believe in taking care of our communities through our business.”
The new Firehouse Subs restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Guests can order takeout service at the counter inside, over the phone or online, as well as through third-party delivery apps.
The Shahs are dedicated to continuing Firehouse Subs’ commitment to helping public safety organizations through Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada, which has granted more than $1.5 million to hometown heroes throughout Ontario.
Founded by former firefighting brothers, the new restaurant décor reflects the founding family’s decades of fire and police service through photos and equipment donated by local fire departments.
It boasts a custom, hand-painted mural by Chief Mural Artist Joe Puskas that features an Orillia fire hall and 1921 fire truck, and a picturesque view of nearby cottages.
Since the opening of the first Firehouse Subs in 1994, Puskas and his team have painted more than 1,195 murals from his studio at Firehouse Subs Headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina’s wrath inspired Firehouse Subs founders, Chris and Robin Sorensen, to establish the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation in the U.S. Ten years later, with the opening of the first Canadian restaurant in 2015, Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada was born with the mission of providing funding, lifesaving equipment and education opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations.
The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada has granted more than $1.5 million to hometown heroes in Ontario, along with more than $57 million in 49 of the United States and Puerto Rico through Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
Each restaurant recycles its pickle buckets, available to guests for a $3 donation to the Foundation. Donation canisters on register counters explain the nonprofit’s mission and collect spare change, while the Round Up Program allows guests to “round up” their bill to the nearest dollar. All funds raised benefit the Foundation.
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