Franchisee Spotlight: San Antonio's Christopher Alford

“I thought, ‘I love food, I love pleasing people, I could do this; and hopefully, I’ll feel really fulfilled doing it,’” says Christopher Alford, 39, of his upcoming Lenny’s location. But this wasn’t always part of the plan. In fact, far from it.

The Kentucky native graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1997 with a degree in Police Administration, and after graduating, moved to Texas to take a job with the U.S. Border Patrol. Additionally he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves in 1995 and was an active member until 2001. He spent four years working for the Border Patrol, and after 9/11, he was hired as a federal air marshal. When his wife, who works in the medical field, became pregnant with their first child, Ethan, the couple realized that having one parent in the medical field and one parent in federal law enforcement wasn’t the most conducive lifestyle for having a baby in the house. Alford has spent the past eight years as a sales representative for companies including Ferguson Enterprises, East Jordan Iron Works and Medtronic Diabetes, where he currently works and will stay until his restaurant opens.

How did you learn about the brand?

Somebody actually brought it into the office, and I really thought it was a great sandwich. It’s a sub sandwich, so you really can’t reinvent the wheel there, but I’m a foodie; we live in the kitchen. We don’t eat out a lot and we just love cooking. I like to think that I know at least a good sub from a bad sub. I did a little research and took the family to a Lenny’s that’s just over a mile from our home. It was a damn good sandwich. Having been in sales and worked in restaurants – I bartended and waited tables in college – I recognized that this was a great operation. So I went online that night and began  researching the Lenny’s  website.

Why did you choose an opportunity with Lenny’s?

The atmosphere is fantastic. Their colors are red, white and blue, so it’s bright and inviting. There are no trash cans, but instead have people taking your trash from your table and refilling your drinks. I live and die by the service I provide my customers; therefore as a consumer, I expect pretty good service. At Lenny’s, it was excellent. Also, I’m kind of a nostalgic guy, so seeing the deli case open with the meats and cheeses in it recalls a bygone era, which resonated with me.

And personally, the rat race gets old after a while. I can’t be in law enforcement anymore because we have two young children. So I contacted Lenny’s to get involved. They’re bang-up guys. If they were jerks or pretentious, that would have been it. But they’re incredible, and I feel at home. I feel comfortable investing my money into this endeavor. I trust these guys, and it feels right.

What challenges have you overcome to get where you are now?

The transition from federal law enforcement to sales was trying at best. I had never planned on this. I really hadn’t planned on Ethan showing up, but he did, so some changes had to be made. My wife works in open-heart surgery. She’s from Costa Rica, I’m from Kentucky and we’re in Texas. We don’t have that familial support because we’re both 1,500 miles from our families. I had to do some soul-searching, but I had some fraternity brothers from Kappa Alpha Order in sales that guided me and assisted me. For a 27-year-old kid, having a new career and being a new parent was a lot to deal with during those couple of years.

What are your expansion or development plans? What is your end goal with Lenny’s?

My goal is between three and five stores. I have definite plans to open more locations, but the timeline is flexible. I think I’ll certainly have three stores in three or four years. Five stores will just depend on if it’s doable.

What are some of the publications you read? Local? National? What is your goal publication with your business?

I read Discovery Channel Magazine, Kentucky Monthly, Smithsonian Magazine and Texas Monthly.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies or passions?

I lift weights avidly. I’m up at 4:15 a.m. and I go to the gym. I do a 2-mile run in the neighborhood afterwards. Physical fitness is important to me. With life, children, that is when I can fit it in. I’m also working on my Master’s Degree in Military History with a concentration on the Second World War at American Military University. That occupies quite a bit of time in the evenings, but it’s great because the kids are in school and we study together. All technology gets shut down at 6 p.m, and we read for an hour. It’s good for 10-year-old, Ethan, and Isabella who is 7 years old. I don’t have any proclivities toward teaching but I’m a WWII fanatic. History has been a passion of mine for a long time.

Lenny's Featured in Memphis Business Journal

Lenny's was recently featured in the Memphis Business Journal in an article titled, "With new location Lenny’s launches low calorie menu".

In the article, which includes a great store photo, Lenny's president Brent Alvord talks about how Lenny’s Sub Shop rolled out voluntary calorie information for select sandwiches in all of its sub shops nationwide. And, franchisee Don Bomar talks about how since this launch he has seen a rise in customers. Overall, this article shows Lenny’s as a leader and positive customer growth due to this initiative!

Click HERE or begin reading below:

With new location Lenny’s launches low calorie menu

By: Michael Sheffield

Lenny’s Sub Shops has launched a new “Under 500 calories” menu that coincides with the planned opening of a new location on Pauline later this month.

The new menu features 12 kaiser sandwiches that are currently on the restaurant’s menu, but Brent Alvord, president of Lenny’s said the company wanted to inform customers of the healthy alternatives on Lenny’s menu. The sandwiches start at $3.95.

“A lot of people don’t realize a sub shop can be very healthy depending on which sandwich you get and what you get on it,” Alvord said. “You can eat healthy, or you can load it up with extra bacon, extra cheese, extra oil and extra calories.”

Franchisee Spotlight: Chris Procell

Chris Procell and his father, Melvin Procell, are spearheading the growth of Lenny’s Sub Shop throughout Louisiana, with the brand’s first location in the state opening in Shreveport in June of 2011. The father/son team is planning an aggressive growth strategy of multiple locations expanding across north Louisiana over the next decade. A recent law school graduate, Chris Procell chose to go into the restaurant industry, where he will be working alongside his employees making sandwiches for his customers, because he wants to bring Lenny’s great sub options to Louisiana.

Before Franchising, what were you involved with?

I graduated from the Mississippi College School of Law in 2010 and just recently passed the Louisiana Bar Exam. I sparked interest in the franchise business while in school and thought that north Louisiana needed a Lenny’s.

How did you learn about the brand?

When I was in law school I was introduced to the brand at the location in Jackson, Miss. I loved their food and I always felt like it was a great, young, family brand. When I moved back to Louisiana I wished there was a Lenny’s around for me to enjoy.

Why is this brand and a franchise system the right fit for you?

We are looking forward to the opportunity to bring a new brand to the area.  We slice our meats and cheeses fresh to order and pile them high on fresh baked bread. With about a half pound of meat and cheese on the regular size sub, and about a full pound on the large size sub, Lenny's provides an unmatched value for our guests' hard earned dollars. Our Philly Cheesesteak is cooked fresh to order and is served hot off the grill.

What are your future goals? Development plans?

My father and I have the goal to open ten stores over the next 10 years. We’re going to start with our first store in Shreveport, which is on the west end of our territory, and then will work our way east. Our second store will most likely be in Bossier. We want to open other locations in Natchitoches, Minden, Ruston, Monroe and West Monroe throughout the next decade. 

Franchisee Spotlight: Nathan Lee

“When I was in high school and my friends and I would walk around, I would say I had this goal of driving through a city and owning everything,” Nathan Lee says. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit.” The 24-year-old received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Georgia State two years ago and took a job with AT&T right out of school. After six months of leadership training in Georgia, the company placed him in Chicago where he managed three different stores for a year. But moving to a big city where he knew no one was a struggle for the southerner. “That year taught me that if I’m going to invest 70 to 80 hours a week in work, I want it to be with people I’d like to spend time with,” Lee says. “I learned an awful lot by being thrown into an unfamiliar territory with no true support system.”

Lee’s entrepreneurial dreams are supported by his parents, particularly his father Garry, who is also going in on the Lenny’s franchise. The two toyed around with the idea of one day opening a motorcycle shop, a hobby they share, but realized that the economic downturn didn’t exactly make that a viable option. Garry, 60, studied public relations at Eastern Michigan State and held a number of managerial roles at both General Motors and Honda. “My dad brings a lot of experience from his previous careers, and I’ve got the energy and excitement,” Nathan says. “He’s helping me out with financing, but as we grow and become more successful, I’ll begin to buy him out as he retires.” Garry says he and his wife are thrilled to assist their son’s dreams and that Nathan’s work ethic is second to none.

How did you learn about the brand?

There’s a Lenny’s in Cumming, Ga. run by Bruce Longmore where my family has eaten for the past eight or nine years. While I was in Chicago, I started researching franchises and Lenny’s came to mind because of the quality of food, the great experiences we’d always had at that location and the fact that it’s run by really stand-up people. Their leadership made us want to move into their type of organization over some of the others we looked at.

Why else did you choose an opportunity with Lenny’s?

They’re still a small brand, with only about 140 units. We were also in talks with Jimmy John’s, but with 600 or 700 units, it doesn’t have that tightknit feel. I’m only 24, so I want something that I can grow with. Lenny’s will give me a lot of opportunity in the future.

Once you open, do you have plans to get involved with any charities or do any community outreach with your business?

Gainesville has a lot of local churches, so we’d like to get involved and help fund mission trips or lend our experience to help further their work.

What challenges have you overcome to get where you are now?

The biggest one was moving 800 miles from home to Chicago where I had no family or friends. I was investing 70 to 80 hours a week, and not having anyone to really bounce ideas off of was challenging.

What are your expansion or development plans? What is your end goal with Lenny’s?

My goal has always been to run more of a holding company and to have multiple locations, so I’m able to supply and help other people finance their businesses. Figuring out the Lenny’s brand will give me the first start. I’m going in as the operating manager so that I can truly understand the business from the ground up. That will give me that knowledge base to lead at a higher level as I expand. Ideally, my goal is to have anywhere from five to 10 locations. That will be a significant impact, but it will still allow me to have my hand in all of the stores.

What are some of the publications you read? Local? National? What is your goal publication with your business?

I follow Ink, Fast Company and Forbes. I haven’t been back in Gainesville long enough to be too familiar with the local media.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies or passions?

We live on one of the largest lakes in the country, so I love spending time out there and wakeboarding. I spend a lot of time outdoors. I like going on motorcycle rides and enjoy pretty much anything with motors and having the ability to go fast.

Franchisee Spotlight: Anand Patel

Before becoming a part of the Lenny’s Sub Shop franchise Anand Patel had an extensive career in hotel management. Patel received his hospitality and management degree from Collins School of Hospitality in Pomona, California. After graduating, Patel moved to Atlanta and operated a Country Inn & Suites for two years as the general manager. He then moved to Franklin, Tennessee and took over his father’s hotel company running the operations for 10 hotels in the Nashville area which he continues to do today.

Why did you choose an opportunity with Lenny’s?

I was familiar with Lenny’s because there is a location next to one of our hotels in Memphis. We used to do about $30,000 worth of catering every two years and they came up on my radar a lot. I saw Lenny’s available in Franklin, my home, and decided it was worth looking into. Just from my experiences with Lenny’s I knew it was a great opportunity.  I knew that I would be able to develop the business in this area as well.

What makes your business unique in the community?

We strive to make every experience unique and take our service to the next level. There is a lot of competition in the area, so we really have to stand out with the service and how we treat our customers.

Are you involved with any charities or do any community outreach with your business?

We have done a number of fundraisers for brain tumor foundations.  My daughter has a brain tumor and this cause really hits close to home. It’s just a way that we are able to give back and we’re fortunate to have this opportunity to help.

What are your expansion or development plans? What is your end goal with Lenny’s?

We currently own three locations and we've seen 28% sales increases since purchasing. Ideally, we would like to develop further into downtown Nashville.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies or passions?

I’m a huge Tennessee sports fan! 

Catering With Lenny's

For the Perfect Mix of Food & Fun! 

Lenny's box lunches and party platters are the perfect solution for everything from office meetings, employee appreciation events, and conventions to tailgating and holiday or birthday parties. From 1 to 1,000 people, we can accommodate any sized gathering you may have. 

Joseph C. from Deerfield Beach, FL recently had this to say:

"Had an amazing experience with Lenny's of Deerfield beach, FL. Catering was a hit for a meeting we held at my job, only remnants of lettuce remained."

Check out our website for more catering info by clicking HERE. If you don't see exactly what you're looking for, let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you. We have many years of catering experience and have catered everything from light luncheons to large dinners. Give us a call. We want to be a part of your next gathering! 

Positivity

We take pride in many things at Lenny's, from the fresh products to the satisfied customers. Still, one of the things we're most proud of is our high standard of customer service and the outstanding employees that make it possible. The internet makes it easy and convenient for complaints, but we're often taken back and touched when people go to great lengths to give a compliment. We feel that praise deserves to be heard, not for us, but for the employees who represented themselves in such upstanding ways. We're proud of you.

From Shop #49 in Memphis, TN:

"I am filling out this comment card to send some due recognition to the PM staff. During my visit tonight, another customer was being extremely rude to the employees preparing her food - to the point that other customers were looking around at each other shocked. Rather than respond harshly (or worse, as we all wanted to do), they continued to give her the same level of service they give every other customer and did what they could do to diffuse the situation while she continued to pepper them with rude comments. I was impressed by their professionalism and the manner in which they treated her with infinitely more respect than she gave tot hem or than she deserved. Their manager/owner/operator deserved to know that quality people are running the store on the PM shift in particular."

From Facebook in regards to Shop #350 in Ft. Walton Beach, FL:

"The other day, I was on my way home from the grocery store, and I saw an older woman pulled over. Then, I noticed the kind stranger who had pulled behind her to change her tire. I wasn't surprised to see it was the local Lenny's vehicle, since the employees there are some of the nicest people I've come across, but I was impressed. I was a little surprised when I saw that it was he owner of my favorite two shops. No wonder everyone there is so incredibly kind. It starts at the top."