Opening his doors this past week, a former Peel Regional police officer and his staff were still dealing with a bustling — and hungry — crowd on Saturday.
Javed Qadree is the franchise owner for the new Firehouse Subs restaurant in Chatham at 635 Grand Ave. W. He also operates two locations in Windsor and one in Sarnia.
Currently living in Windsor, he’s enjoying the support he’s seen so far in Chatham-Kent, noting he has family in the area.
“I’ve always wanted to have my own business,” said Qadree, who served for seven years as an officer.
Qadree visited a Firehouse Subs restaurant in Mississauga for the first time in 2019 on his lunch break. He was impressed by the experience so much, he wanted to become involved.
As a former first responder, he endorses how the brand gives back to the community through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada, which has granted more than $2.5 million to hometown heroes in Ontario.
The foundation provides funding, lifesaving equipment and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations.
Customers can donate to the cause by rounding up the cost of their orders, or simply giving spare change.
The Chatham restaurant, which has 45 employees, also includes a custom mural, hand-painted by Joe Puskas. Each Firehouse Subs location features a mural unique to its community.
The local mural depicts a firefighter standing next to a Chatham-Kent fire truck and several classic cars as a tribute to Chatham’s classic car reputation.
Qadree said the Grand Avenue West location is ideal due to its high visibility. He also noted the ongoing growth within the community.
“I’m so happy with the municipality,” he said. “The mayor and fire chief are so supportive of me coming. When we submitted for our permit, we got our permit application approved in two days.”
As for the subs themselves, he called the quality “unmatched,” adding how the meat and cheese are put in special steamers for extra tenderness.
Firehouse Subs was founded in 1994 by two brothers and former firefighters. In 2015, the company expanded into Canada, where it now operates 59 restaurants.
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., there are more than 1,230 locations in 46 US states, Puerto Rico, Canada and non-traditional locations.
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