How a chain of California sandwich shops reinvented itself for the national market.
How can you tell when your retail chain needs a face-lift? One clue: Prospective investors refuse to cough up expansion capital because they hate the way your stores look.
Jeff Warfield runs Submarina, a chain of California sub franchises based in San Marcos. Eager to take his successful restaurant concept national, Warfield approached venture capitalists for the funding. Every potential investor rejected his proposal on the grounds that Submarina needed a stronger brand identity, a tactful way of saying that his 37 stores suffered from bland décor and a confusing menu.
Thus began Warfield’s initiation into the mysteries of restaurant design. ‘I thought branding meant changing the logo, but was I wrong,’ recalls Warfield, 40. After interviewing two other design firms, he hired Tesser, a San Francisco branding shop. The firm decided to highlight Submarina’s use of fresh California produce and its earnest, friendly staff, reminiscent of a small-town diner where everyone knows your name. Read more.
Photo: Dan Saelinger.
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