A 2-month-old Potbelly Sandwich Shop locale in Ogden will soon be joined by another in Layton as the Chicago-based chain restaurant expands its small footprint in Utah.
“With Ogden opening earlier this year and Layton opening Sept. 16, growth is ongoing. We are also exploring a location in Taylorsville along with additional sites in the Salt Lake City area,” said Camden Wisor, district manager in Utah for Sound Sandwich, the franchise group operating the outlets in the state.
The first Potbelly location in Utah opened in Sandy on Nov. 1, 2016, followed more than eight years later by the Ogden store at 1321 Wall Ave., which opened its doors on June 17, he said. The expansion in Utah parallels a broader push by Potbelly Corp., the force behind the chain, to grow across the United States.
“Potbelly is executing a broader strategic push to expand nationally, through both corporate development and franchise partnerships. Utah is one of the newer growth markets,” Wisor said. The Layton store will be opening at 220 S. Fort Lane.
As is, there are more than 440 Potbelly locations around the country, more than 90 of them franchised operations, according to the company website. The company, which launched in Chicago in 1977, puts a focus on “toasty sandwiches,” but the Potbelly menu also includes salads, soups, shakes and more.
Earlier this year, the company announced a new initiative to bolster its growth aspirations via an incentive program geared to “multiunit franchisees,” that is franchisees that open multiple locations. The announcement in March “comes as Potbelly continues to strategically execute its long-term growth plans and expand its brand across the U.S.,” the company said in a press release.
Franchisees who enter into an agreement to open 15 Potbelly locations in eight years or less can get “substantial financial benefits” in certain circumstances, reads the March press release. The statement singled out growth efforts in the Atlanta, Phoenix and Denver markets as well Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas and parts of Florida and Tennessee.
The Ogden location off the southwest corner of busy Wall Avenue and 12th Street is located in a more expansive commercial cluster that includes a WinCo Foods, PetSmart and Marshalls. Other tenants in the new building off Wall Avenue where Potbelly is located include Einstein Bros. Bagels, Swig and more.
