Attracted by the big city feel and business opportunities in Grand Rapids, husband and wife entrepreneurs Ryan and Heather Johnson have opened their third location of Subs-N-More in the downtown core. With that opening come eight part-time jobs with plans to add more full-time and part-time positions.
The sub shop started in South Haven in 1989 with Ryan's mom, Tracy Irwin, and a business partner. Ryan and Heather opened a second location in Holland in 1999, and then bought the South Haven store in 2008. The newest location is in McKay Tower, at 149 Monroe Center NE, with its entrance on the Pearl St. side of the building.
One of the shop's attractions is its homemade, handmade bread and pizza dough that Ryan makes in the wee hours every day at the South Haven shop, then delivers to Grand Rapids in time for the lunch crowd. The "N-More" part of the name includes handmade pizzas with fresh vegetables, crisp salads and homemade chili and soups.
"We wanted to try the metro side of things and had considered [opening in] Chicago," says Heather Johnson. "Our South Haven shop gets a lot of Chicago visitors in the summer and we had several requests. But we thought we'd keep it in Michigan a little longer and make the commute a little shorter."
Johnson says four of the jobs will become full-time positions as the shop gets busier. The growth plan includes adding another four part-time jobs.
The grand opening is today (April 5) at 5 p.m. with a free pizza party and a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor George Heartwell.
Source: Heather Johnson, Subs-N-More; Media Release,
Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
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