By Chris Hagan
Review Staff Writer
Occupying the former Radio Shack location on Lapeer Rd, Firehouse Subs is finishing inspections and final permits as they gear up for their early February debut.
The location, franchised by local entrepreneur Neil Porter Jr., will be a first for Orion Township and will be the seventh in Oakland County.
Regarded as a high-quality sandwich destination, Firehouse has a firefighter theme stemming from the company’s founding owners, brothers Chris and Robin Sorenson. The Sorensons were firefighters in the Jacksonville, Fla., and opened their first location in 1994
Porter became aware of the brand after talking with a friend who also happens to be the Michigan manager for Firehouse. Soon after, Porter and his wife, Debbie, flew down to Florida to visit a location to see what the hype was about. They began looking in Orion Township for locations but nothing was available. The two then opened a location in Grand Blanc in August 2014 and he says he’s anticipating a good response to the Orion location.
‘We really liked the food when we tried it and there were some other things but that’s what really sold us,? he said. ‘We’re pretty excited about the old Radio Shack location.?
Their menu boasts more than 25 sandwiches that are reminiscent of the fire service with names like Hook & Ladder, The Engineer, and the Hero. They also feature low calorie sandwiches, salads firehouse chili, and a 50 choice hot sauce bar.
Another reason Porter was drawn to the franchise was due to Firehouse’s commitment to helping first responders. In 2005, the company sent their food trucks to help in the relief effort after Hurricane Katrina decimated the Gulf Coast. Following that relief aid, the company began their non-profit Public Safety Foundation.
‘What was really a draw for me and is a tie into the community is that after Hurricane Katrina hit, the founders sent one of their trucks to Mississippi to feed the firefighters and first responders.? Porter said. ‘But things were so bad that they ended up feeding the people because nobody had food and out of that they started the foundation.?
The foundation allocates money through a grant program to benefit public safety organizations. They help those organizations purchase life-saving equipment, prevention education, scholarships, disaster relief and help members of the military.
‘I’m hoping to get a [grant] this year for the City of Flint and have the Grand Blanc store sponsor it,? he said.
According to Porter, the Firehouse Subs brand has only been in Michigan for three years and Firehouse has raised $235,000 for Michigan first-responders.
Company-wide they have more than 900 stores including Canada and Puerto Rico serving 66 millions subs per year. In 2015,’the brand produced the second-fastest growth in U.S.franchise units.