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Quiznos has "Good News"
By Ashley Hoey of Coburn Design, Inc.
Quiznos is coming to Auburn! Franchise owners Brett and Joanne Davenport relocated their family to the Auburn area and expect much success with their new business venture. Brett and Joanne spent some time with the staff of Operation Auburn in August and spoke of their exciting new plans that will directly benefit the City of Auburn. With their extended family in mind, and two boys at home, the Davenport’s have “good news” for the citizens of this ever-growing city in Upstate New York.
After serving 18 years in the financial services industry, Brett Davenport made a joint decision with his wife of 15 years, that their dream of owning a business could finally be a focus in their lives. Starting their own company, Davenport Management, Inc., would allow for more time with family and friends, and the ability to set their own standards as role models for a community Joanne called home during her childhood and young adult years. Recruited at the national and international level from numerous financial institutions, the Davenport’s even traveled to Hong Kong with the possibility of an overseas relocation in their future. After realizing that an 18-hour plane ride might inhibit many visitors, and knowing that residing in Hong Kong wouldn’t provide the ability to accomplish their goals, the determined couple opted to stay “home.”
“We made a conscious decision to research and find a company that we could buy and a great product we could represent,” said Brett. “We wanted something we could pass on to our children, and be able to spend more time with our boys. They are going through some exciting times.”
“A good friend of ours bought a Quiznos in Upstate New York and had very good things to say about it, so we sat down and chatted. We definitely wanted to franchise. We looked at numerous franchises in and out of the food industry and Quiznos kept appearing. Everything circled back to Quiznos. So I said, alright, there must be something to this.”
In business for over 25 years, the Quiznos Corporation, primarily located in the Western part of the country, migrated to the South over the last decade and has recently started to come North.
“We thought we would get into it at the ground level, in the area we love, which is the Northeast,” stated Brett. “And in my opinion, the best place you could raise a family.”
On narrowing their choice to Quiznos, the Davenport’s believe the cards fell in all the right places.
“I guess it was meant to be. Quiznos actually had research that said they wanted to open two (franchises) in Auburn. So Joanne and I said, ‘Geez, we’ve always loved Auburn, it’s a great place to raise our family, Joanne grew up there, all her brothers and sisters are there, all our nieces and nephews are there, and it offers everything you’d want in life. We always wanted to build a home, so since we decided to move, why don’t we just build a home in Auburn,’ and then we bought two Quiznos,” said Brett.
Joanne believes Auburn was the right choice to relocate when it came to being able to own a profitable, yet marketable Quiznos franchise in the region.
“We decided that we wanted to be the only Quiznos owners in the area. We could have gone to Syracuse, or even stayed in New Hartford, but we wanted to go somewhere that when we advertise, people come to our Quiznos.”
Brett spoke about their choice of location in Auburn, and how Finger Lakes Crossing came to the top of their list. The couple has worked with a Quiznos representative and a broker that has guided them to an “A” location in the Auburn area. The Quiznos Corporation supports them through every phase of the process.
“When you add Finger Lakes Crossing, the western part of Auburn is just going to come alive,” said Brett. “Bass Pro Shop already attracts a ton of people, people come here from afar to spend the night and go to Bass Pro Shop, and now they’re going to have even more, and Quiznos will be a part of that.”
When asked about Quiznos’ future involvement in participating in community events, the Davenport’s shared their vision.
“In my past business ventures, I’ve always enjoyed putting programs together to work with children, work with the youth,” Brett said. “Hopefully, Quiznos will be able to become involved and put programs together that will support and grow and teach our youth the fundamentals in life.”
Of the two Quiznos locations in Auburn, the first is expected to open in January and will be located in the Finger Lakes Crossing. Brett is excited about the employment opportunities his business will be able to offer the City of Auburn.
“Of course, we have our twelve nieces and nephews who are at a good age to be employed,” said Brett. “Our goals are to recruit the type of help that are hopefully the up and coming business youth of the future and teach them some of the basics of business, how to be entrepreneurs, how to think about community first, to teach what customer service really represents and what it means, those are some of our goals; not just to open a Quiznos and hire someone to make a sub. It goes deeper than that.”
The Davenport’s are looking forward to hiring community members that share the same passion they do for a quality dining experience, as well as having a high standard for customer service.
Brett had many positive things to say about the Auburn area as an outsider before he married Joanne. In fact, he grew up in a small town and remembers what it felt like to be a young adult not aware of the great things surrounding him.
“I remember when I was a teenager, you’re always thinking that ‘there’s something better out there,’ ‘I don’t want to stay in Auburn,’ or Bainbridge where I grew up. ‘I want to get out of here,’ or whatever it is… you don’t appreciate what you have. Joanne and I have been fortunate to have traveled the world, so we know what’s out there. And I know what’s in the United States of America, and I can tell you right now, Upstate New York and specifically Auburn, has every single thing you could want out of life.”
The Quiznos menu provides a healthy alternative for families on the go. The Davenport’s are looking forward to providing a dining experience that emphasizes healthy living and a limitless quality of life.
“You’re looking for something healthy, looking for something fast, looking for something tasty and fresh, Quiznos is the first place you think of,” said Brett.
Joanne spoke about the healthy options that the Quiznos menu offers.
“There’s a kids meal at Quiznos. Statistics show that they have been very popular,” said Joanne. “Quiznos has its own type of sub, the meat is sliced fresh and it’s generally a different atmosphere.
“The experience when you walk through our door, that’s what will set us apart,” said Brett.
Brett also has high hopes for Quiznos to leave its mark on the Auburn community in the form of civic involvement.
“In five years, I’ll ask myself, ‘what have we done to become a part of the community? How well is the Quiznos in Auburn being respected? Did we attract the type of employees that we were looking for? Did we influence our youth in such a way that they are proud to call Auburn ‘home’?”
Time will tell. As for now, the Davenport’s are looking for their second location in Auburn to be determined at a later date. Operation Auburn will keep you posted on the future success of Quiznos in Auburn!
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