WEST SEATTLE RESTAURANTS: Another Subway closing

For the second time in less than a year, a Subway sandwich shop is closing in West Seattle. After a tip from Rebekah (thank you!), we went to the Jefferson Square Subway to confirm the closure. As the note on the door says, tomorrow is the shop’s last day. This will be the second Subway in West Seattle to close in less than a year and a half; the one at 2758 Alki SW lasted three years. Remaining Subways in West Seattle are at 3829 Delridge Way SW in North Delridge, 6515 California SW in Morgan Junction, and 6760 W. Marginal Way SW in Highland Park, all shown in the city business-license database as having different franchisees. The chain has been reported to be having some rocky times nationwide.

50 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE RESTAURANTS: Another Subway closing"

  • me January 22, 2018 (12:40 pm)

    That’s to bad, let me guess another bar or apt with  8+ floors @ 50,000 per month per apt. 

    • WSB January 22, 2018 (12:44 pm)

      Are you familiar with the space? It’s not a standalone spot that can be redeveloped – it’s a small storefront between two other businesses fronting on 42nd SW (teriyaki and gym) on the west side of “lower Jefferson Square.” – TR

      • JacobLongfellow January 22, 2018 (2:25 pm)

        Thank you WSB(TR) for educating those who don’t know what they write about.  Your patience and detailed explanations are remarkable. 

      • dawsonct January 24, 2018 (1:54 am)

        It’s possible their unfamiliarity with this location is emblematic of the franchisees problem. They are tucked away below street level, difficult to see, and no parking for the lazy within 10 steps of the front door.
        And they are Subway sandwiches, so another strike.

  • M January 22, 2018 (12:40 pm)

    Not surprised.  I was there a week ago and the lady was degrading her employee in front of customers.  She kept arguing with him over a 20 cent cash shortage.  He was embarassed as she would not let up.

  • Question Authority January 22, 2018 (1:15 pm)

    The yoga mat bread ingredient story never  helped, and everything there in my opinion seems so overly processed that I never visit any of them anyway.

    • JacobLongfellow January 22, 2018 (2:26 pm)

      Did you forget about the pervert spokesperson?  That certainly didn’t attract new customers.

  • Deftones January 22, 2018 (1:16 pm)

    Nikkos expand :)

    • GW January 22, 2018 (8:55 pm)

      YES!!!!

  • Poor meat and bread January 22, 2018 (1:20 pm)

    Their quality has gone downhill over the years while other better options remain. The chain, not this specific place. Subway in the early/mid 2000s was far better, but cost cutting hurt quality.

    The best sandwiches like this are at Super Deli Mart at 35th & Barton.

  • Fred January 22, 2018 (1:30 pm)

    So we are left with the one on California with quite possibly the worst customer service of all time

    • WSB January 22, 2018 (1:40 pm)

      As listed in the story, there are four Subways remaining in West Seattle. (Though the W. Marginal Way SW one is not listed on the Subway website, oddly, we confirmed by phone that it’s still there.)

  • MJ January 22, 2018 (1:50 pm)

    That is too bad, but on the bright side maybe another pizza restaurant will fill the space!  

  • abj January 22, 2018 (2:15 pm)

    The owners told me they have been there for 20 years, but that they didn’t feel like they could handle the new 10 year lease that was being asked of them. They said they have had it on the market for a year with no takers.

    • H January 22, 2018 (3:04 pm)

      A 10 year commercial lease? That would be a game changer for many businesses. 

      • Peter January 23, 2018 (10:30 am)

        Ten years terms are common in commercial leases.

  • T Rex January 22, 2018 (2:33 pm)

    Jersey Mike’s please come to West Seattle!

  • Morgan January 22, 2018 (2:38 pm)

    Just stopped by for lunch today and learned the news. Sad! The folks who work there have always been super nice over the years. I wish them the best on their next adventure. 

    • KD January 22, 2018 (8:26 pm)

      Agree.. super nice, usually his parents were the ones to wait on you, and most often the mom was the one running around taking care of the whole counter! Will miss their service, very nice people! šŸ‘šŸ¼

    • Jimmy January 25, 2018 (7:08 am)

      Thank you for your kind words. We are greatful for your business. It helped put food on the table and and fund my parentā€™s retirement. Weā€™ll miss all of our regular customers. Thanks again!

  • Downtown January 22, 2018 (3:14 pm)

    I work downtown, and one of the managers at a Subway down here said ownership had just changed, and they can’t take most coupons because of the increased cost the minimum wage law is driving.  They were already expensive for what you get, but that law is putting a lot of pressure on stores to stay alive with the already slim margins.

    • WSB January 22, 2018 (3:26 pm)

      That probably stems from all this:
      http://www.workingwa.org/blog/2018/1/9/saw-the-sign

      • dawsonct January 24, 2018 (2:08 am)

        Yep, it sure as hell isn’t the greedy minimum-wage workers who have driven our region’s economy into  the ditch.
        Oh wait a second, our economy isn’t in the ditch. And restaurants aren’t closing, and the unemployment rate is continuing to drop around here for how many consecutive quarters now?
        As usual, the “higher wages will destroy our nation!” crowd were/are wrong. Again and again and again.

  • HelperMonkey January 22, 2018 (3:52 pm)

    good luck ever getting that weird “subway smell” out of the space. (seriously, what is that smell in every Subway?!)

    • KD January 22, 2018 (8:33 pm)

      I know.. right? I use Subway, but someone else told me of the same thing you mention and how it nauseates her and every Subway has it! (Is it the baking yoga mat bread?!!) wink-wink/haha.

  • Nolan January 22, 2018 (4:15 pm)

    I hope they’ve never complained about an employee giving less than two weeks’ notice before leaving. What is it with businesses and utterly failing to communicate shutdowns more than a few days in advance?

  • Sliderdog January 22, 2018 (4:21 pm)

    If only we could get a Wawa!

  • Downtown January 22, 2018 (4:22 pm)

    No mention of a right wing conspiracy or signs.  It was all about dollars and cents.  It does make the owners be more creative though, or they will go out of business.

  • ACG January 22, 2018 (4:50 pm)

    Wish a Jimmy Johnā€™s would move in. Or I wish one of the local sub places would offer an ā€œunwichā€ option for their sandwiches like JJ does (if someone local does do an ā€œunwichā€ style sandwich- please let me know!!!). I also like that JJ meats have no artificial nitrates or nitrites added. 

    • KD January 22, 2018 (8:31 pm)

      I will NEVER give Jimmy Johns my $$ due to the owner Mr. Johns himself is one of those big game hunters that go and do it just for the fun and testosterone trophy bragging photos. Google Jimmy Johns on that one.. he looks just like the trumpie boys posing with a noble lion or elephant all dead next to their smirking mug. My $$ won’t go for paying for any of that. 

  • Ajwren January 22, 2018 (5:06 pm)

    Despite the snarky comments, I liked this store. When I walked up to Junction to run errands I would end up here to get a foot long sandwich customized on each half for me and my husband. The employees were good. Food was decent for the price in WS these days. Sorry to see them go. 

  • Graciano January 22, 2018 (5:27 pm)

    How could that be, no nitrites do they raise their own turkey, chickens, pigs… and know what goes into their meats? 

    • dawsonct January 24, 2018 (2:12 am)

      If a company buys enough product from a supplier, they can often dictate what goes in it. Very common practice in the food industry.

  • Jeannie January 22, 2018 (5:29 pm)

    ACG, I wouldn’t go near a Jimmy John’s! It’s a fact that the founder and CEO of Jimmy Johnā€™s participated in an African hunt safari. He killed elephants, a rhino, and a leopard, along with plains game species ā€” posing afterward for photos with a sh-t-eating smile on his ugly face and a thumbs up. This hunt was probably legal, but it’ also disgusting. Since I don’t want to make anyone gag, I won’t include the photos. 

    • Jethro Marx January 22, 2018 (7:03 pm)

      Maybe he was tracking down sandwich meat with no added nitrates. Would you feel different if it were a deer? Elk? Moose? What about a cow? Just curious where we draw the line between “just another rich guy” and “dude who is heinous and subject to derision;” oh, and ugly- I’m not sure where that comes in here?

      • Swede. January 22, 2018 (7:39 pm)

        That’s a pretty dumb remark Jethro. It’s a HUGE difference hunting animals that are in overabundance for actual food and killing endanger species for pleasure. And also the obvious fact that ther is zero chance to harvest meat in a an hunting way for a mega chain like Jimmy John’s. 

        • Jethro Marx January 23, 2018 (10:40 am)

          Well, yeah, it was definitely a dumb comment; as we started out talking about a local business closing, lapsed into debating the merits of random sandwich shops, the nitrogen compound content of their meats and the relative desirability of such shops opening in the space, before moving to personal thoughts on the owners’ alleged hobbies, (and the quality of their facial features) I thought the smartness bar for comments had been lowered.

           I’m sure the man was not hunting endangered animals. I’m not super excited about trophy hunting if you ain’t eating the carcass, but we probably shouldn’t tell African nations what to do with their natural resources. That’s been a bit of a $#!%show over the last couple centuries.

           And I’m not interested in a leopard sandwich, but braised water buffalo sounds right tasty!

  • Arcturius Mengsk January 22, 2018 (6:29 pm)

    3 or 4 more to go for a Subway-free West Seattle!  We can do this, people!  #deathtocrappyfood

  • Wendell January 22, 2018 (6:39 pm)

    My guess, is another weed shop.

    • dawsonct January 24, 2018 (2:15 am)

      Probably too close to schools.
      Are you feeling overrun? Wishing it would slide back into the closet?

  • Healthy eater January 22, 2018 (8:13 pm)

    Voodoo Doughnuts or Shake Shack.

  • TJ January 22, 2018 (9:04 pm)

    Love Jimmy John’s. I eat there in Sodo 3-4 times a week. Wish it would end up here but highly doubt it. And to the commenters who dislike him for his hunting, keep in mind sanctioned hunts are legal there and typically tags are for older and weak animals. Don’t get me wrong, I would never shoot one of those animals, but it really is a silly stance to take. Luckily lots of people do like the food and JJ is a thriving company

  • Jeannie January 22, 2018 (11:16 pm)

    The “older and weaker animals” argument is specious. And I don’t have a problem with people hunting for food. Elephants are highly endangered and are very intelligent, social animals. Perhaps we should sanction killing older and weak people who are intelligent and social. After all,  it seems like intelligent people are an endangered species. Now, TJ, don’t get me wrong, I am not knocking you personally. And if you want to patronize a JJ, that’s your choice.  You seem like an intelligent person. It’s just that many people aren’t aware of Jimmy John Liautaud’s grotesque “hobby.”

    Here’s just one citation (you may not want to click on this if you are particularly sensitive about this matter): https://tinyurl.com/ycq4mvcs

  • Cycleman January 23, 2018 (9:38 am)

    Wondered how they stayed that long!! The service I thought was TERRIBLE!! I asked for extra pickles my last visit and it was .80 for 4 more pickles!! Ridiculous. That was over 2 years ago. 

  • RC January 23, 2018 (7:50 pm)

    More pizzas please, or a poke shop.

  • aa January 25, 2018 (8:09 am)

    In my opinion, we the customers have to shift our focus from appreciating food for how cheap it is.  To recognize that we are part of the problem for small businesses who feel pressure to keep their offerings cheap while catering to our demands for healthier options, assorted grain and no grain products, organic, free range, on and on.  And we are upset when the sandwich costs more than $5.  How are these small businesses supposed to provide all the things we are asking for and pay rent, employee wages and benefits, insurance, taxes, payroll taxes and all from the income on a $5 sandwich?  I imagine franchises like Subway have even more hoops to jump through regarding the products they are permitted to offer, the cost of ingredients with no option to search for a better price.  Yes, I know many people can’t afford a more expensive sandwich.  I myself can’t afford to live in Seattle anymore so I understand.

  • Courtney January 25, 2018 (4:54 pm)

    Thank god we still have Husky!!

  • Loretta February 7, 2018 (1:26 pm)

    Last time we were in that Subway was January 15th. She remembered my husband and asked about him even though he hasn’t been in in a looong time. She let me use FIVE coupons, then after I paid, she gave them all back to me. I was pretty puzzled, but now I see. Nice people.

  • Loretta February 7, 2018 (1:32 pm)

    Are they maybe going to open a new Subway somewhere else?

  • B February 12, 2018 (8:36 am)

    Where else can I get an inexpensive sandwich when I’m on the run?

    With a little protein and a lot of veggie… pile on the spinach and green peppers and cukes please!

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