Plant City resident soon will be enjoying some new dining options at Lake Walden Square.
Jake’s Wayback Burgers and Firehouse Subs both will open this summer, adding sizzle and spice to the city’s growing menu of dining options.
Jake’s Wayback Burgers franchise owner James Payne hopes to open his 1950s-diner-inspired restaurant within three to four months,
“It was important to me that the franchise or brand fit in with the community,” Payne said. “That’s what I love about Plant City … the community spirit. I wanted to make sure that it fit in.”
“Wayback Burgers does very well in smaller communities, where we can connect with the local community and embrace fundraising, local sponsorships with the community, etc.,” said Jakes Franchising Director of Marketing Gillian Maffeo. “(Plant City) is the perfect community for this type of franchise — and about serving the pastime favorite foods and embracing the future.”
Within the community, Lake Walden Square proved to be a great location for the restaurant.
“The location has been vacant for a long time, and we saw an opportunity for an end cap that we can customize with our décor,” Maffeo said. “It is a great selection for community opportunities. There is a high school about 200 yards away, a dentist and other offices that are in the area and a movie theater. The daytime population in the center is high as well. The area is the ‘unofficial’ heart of Plant City.”
Payne has been looking into opening the restaurant for about a year and used local banks and insurance companies to help in the process. Construction will begin this month.
Jake’s Wayback Burgers is a Connecticut-based, fast-casual franchise with a reputation for serving fresh burgers and thick, hand-dipped milkshakes. Founded in 1991 in Newark, Del., Jake’s Wayback Burgers currently operates in 24 states with more than 80 locations nationally. The closest restaurant to Plant City is located in Lithia. There are plans to open in 28 countries through the Middle East and Northern Africa, in addition to expansion plans in Argentina.
Every month, Jake’s Wayback Burgers features a new “Burger of the Month” and “Shake of the Month.” The menu also will feature homemade potato chips, all-beef hot dogs, marinated chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, specialty sandwiches and fresh salads.
Located on the other side of West Alexander Street in Lake Walden Square, Firehouse Subs will be coming to a space next to Winn-Dixie. Franchisee owner John York hopes to have the sandwich shop open by early July — at the latest.
“I was a fan before I was a franchisee,” York said. “After you go three or four times, they know your sandwich, they know your name. It’s the food, the people, everything.”
York is from Maine, but it wasn’t until he moved to Leesburg, that he got his first taste of Firehouse. Now a Mulberry resident, York purchased a longstanding Firehouse Subs last August, in Lakeland.
The Plant City location will be the first he will launch from the ground up.
“Plant City is a good location for a second store,” York said. “The area is really nice; it’s a growing town. It’ll be nice to grow with the town.”
York said he has had many customers from Plant City come into his Lakeland restaurant, excited to have one closer.
“The response has been great,” York said. “I can’t wait to get over there.”
York will serve as general manager of the Plant City location. Like his Lakeland location, he wants to continue to hold community nights that will benefit local organizations such as sports teams and schools.
In 1994, Firehouse Subs was founded by two firefighting brothers, Chris and Robin Sorensen. The first store was in Jacksonville and has since grown to include over 340 locations in 16 states. The Hook & Ladder is the no. 1 selling sub and customers also have a choice of 50 hot sauces to add to their meals.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.