JACKSONVILLE, FL (PRWEB) – Firehouse Subs, a Jacksonville-based sub sandwich chain, today announced the sale of a new franchise territory covering central and southern Virginia to Michael Pietrzyk of Roanoke, Va., a 34-year veteran of the restaurant industry.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Pietrzyk has formed a company, Fire Hydrant Management LLC, to develop and manage the stores, which will total more than 60 throughout the state. Some of the stores will be owned by Fire Hydrant Management; others will be sold to other franchisees who will answer to Pietrzyk.

“We expect to develop our first stores in the Roanoke area and in other Western Virginia communities,” Pietrzyk said. “Then we will begin looking at possible locations in the eastern part of the state, probably around Hampton Roads and Virginia Beach first.”

Pietrzyk said he hopes to have six or eight stores open and operating by the end of 2005. He said new stores will open at the rate of between eight and 12 per year until the region is fully developed by 2009.

“We believe the market can hold about 70 locations, but we will fine tune our site selection process,” he said. “We feel there are numerous towns and cities here that will be able to support a Firehouse Subs location.”

Pietrzyk has many years of experience in the hotel and restaurant fields. He spent the last four years in the extended stay hotel business as president of American Classic Suites; before that, he was a Little Caesars franchisee, at one time owning 38 locations.

He was Little Caesars Franchisee of the Year in 1994, and in 1995 he was recognized by the U.S. Labor Department, which awarded him the Partner in Compliance Award for exemplary treatment of his employees. In 1994, his company was recognized by Easter Seals as the leading franchise company in the U.S. for Easter Seals fundraising.

Pietrzyk has also held executive positions with Wendy’s, Pizza Hut and Burger Chef and Little Ceasar’s Enterprises.

“Firehouse Subs attracted me because it has fantastic products, and because it is a young company that generates lots of excitement,” he said. “I want to be part of it.”

About Firehouse Subs: Started just 10 years ago by two brothers, Robin and Chris Sorensen, two Jacksonville, Fla. firefighters, Firehouse Subs has grown like wildfire. From a single store in Jacksonville, Firehouse Subs will have 235 stores in eight Southeastern states by the end of 2004, and more than 1,100 stores by the end of 2008. Each store has a firehouse theme, with fire memorabilia, boots, pictures of fires and fire equipment and even a hand-painted mural that includes local firefighting themes.