By Tim Leeds
Would you like yogurt with your sandwich?
While the Havre Subway is closing on Jan. 11 for remodeling, there will be some new choices when it re-opens.
Co-owner TJ Burt said that the fast-food deli has to be closed while changes are made to add a TCBY yogurt counter.
Burt opened the Havre franchise in September of 1990 with his father, Jim Burt. He said that TCBY has recently started co-branding with Subway as well as other franchises across the nation. Burt and his father decided it would be a good addition.
"I consider it a good marriage between two products," Burt said. "It's not a competition between two competing foods."
The Schubert Brothers area contracting firm was hired to do extensive remodeling which is already underway. The reopened Subway will have a new look as well as a new TCBY counter, Burt said.
Along with new locations for the counters, the deli will have almost double the seating capacity with an enlarged dining room, new tables, new wallpaper, and new fixtures and countertops in the kitchen and sandwich bar, Burt said.
"These tables and fixtures were modern in 1990, but they're already old-fashioned now," he stated.
The layout of the deli will be moved north, he said, with the new TCBY counter where the sandwich counter is now, and the sandwich counter and kitchen moved up to make room. There will be completely separate counters with separate registers, letting customers go through only one line if they wish.
The construction began on the north end of the property to allow the deli to stay open as long as possible. The work possible in this section is nearly completed, requiring the shut-down to allow work on the present kitchen and dining area.
Burt said Subway will have to be closed at least five to seven days for remodeling. He hopes to reopen the Subway part before the Jan. 20 target date, and to have the TCBY section opened by Jan. 20. He emphasized that that is just a target date for the TCBY opening. It could possibly take longer to set up that section, he said.
The timing of the closing coincides with a Subway food drive throughout the state. Participating Subways will donate 05 cents to the Montana Food Bank from Jan. 10 through Jan. 31 for every wrap, sandwich and salad sold. While the Havre Subway will be closing at the beginning of the drive, Burt said he intends to participate once the deli reopens.
Burt said that in the past Subways used to have a food drive where customers received a free six inch sandwich for bringing in non-perishable food items. They decided to make cash contributions for purchases instead this year, he said.
