Blimpie - Story (2024)

Three Teenagers Met in Jersey City

It was 1964, Beatles Mania was in full swing, the Beehive was the buzzed about hairstyle of choice and Muhammad Ali was the Heavy Weight Champion of the World. It was also the year that Blimpie was born! Three buddies from Hoboken, New Jersey, had a fresh and delicious idea along with a passion to share this idea with the world. They knew the sandwiches they made were the best tasting, with the freshest ingredients all at a great value. The friends had the passion and the crave-able product, now they just needed the best name ever for their freshly sliced idea. They wouldn’t settle for “Subs” or “Hoagies”, their sandwich deserved better. They went through a dictionary for their “name-spiration”. They saw an image of a blimp and thought it resembled their bigger and better sandwich. Drum roll, please… Blimpie was born! On April 4th, 1964, more than 50 years ago, the first Blimpie store opened and the rest, as they say, is history.

Blimpie has been your neighborhood deli destination for more than five decades. With locations coast to coast, Blimpie is proud to continue serving freshly sliced meats and high quality ingredients. We are proud of our history and we’re honored to make our subs bigger and better, that’s the Blimpie way. Thank you for making Blimpie a part of your lunch and life. Blimpie is America’s Sub Shop. Don’t you forget it!

Blimpie - Story (1)
Blimpie - Story (2024)

FAQs

What is the story of Blimpie? ›

Blimpie began its journey on the Jersey side of the Hudson River when 3 high school pals teamed up after graduation to develop it with $2,500 in funding, They opened the first Blimpie at the corner of Seventh and Washington Streets in Hoboken, N.J., according to NJ.com.

Why did Blimpie go out of business? ›

A main factor in this decline was that the subfranchiser rights to the Blimpie Subs chain had largely been sold by the mid-1990s, thus bringing a halt to what had been a steady stream of income, and by the turn of the 2000s, Blimpie International was struggling.

What's in a Blimpie best? ›

Ham, salami, capicola, prosciuttini, provolone, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, vinegar, oil & oregano.

When did Blimpie come out? ›

Drum roll, please… Blimpie was born! On April 4th, 1964, more than 50 years ago, the first Blimpie store opened and the rest, as they say, is history.

How much does it cost to own a Blimpie? ›

What Does a Blimpie® Franchise Cost? To buy a franchise with Blimpie®, you'll need to have at least liquid capital of $125,000 and a minimum net worth of $250,000. Franchisees can expect to make a total investment of $139,780 - $404,700.

Who owns Jersey Mike's? ›

Peter Cancro is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Jersey Mike's Franchise Systems, Inc., a fast-casual sub sandwich franchise, with more than 2,300 locations nationwide.

Does Quiznos exist anymore? ›

In the early 2000s, Quiznos was a premium-choice sandwich chain, a top competitor of Subway and a franchise with nearly 5,000 locations worldwide in 2006. Fast-forward 17 years and the brand's footprint has decreased by 94%, Eat This reports. In June 2022, there were only 170 Quiznos open.

Are blimpies still around? ›

Yes, Blimpie still exists. However, the chain has massively downscaled over the years. Once boasting nearly 2000 locations in the states, Blimpie currently has fewer than 200 shops left.

How many Blimpie locations are still open? ›

How many Blimpie locations are there in United States? There are a total of 126 blimpie locations in United States as of April 26, 2021 The city with the most number of Blimpie locations in the United States is Augusta with 6 locations, which is 5% of all blimpie locations in United States.

How to make a Blimpie best sandwich? ›

Instructions
  1. Cut bread in half lengthwise.
  2. Add oregano, oil and red wine vinegar to top half. Arrange lettuce, onion and tomato on bottom half, then layer slices of Land O'Frost Blimpie Best Variety Pack lunch meat.
  3. Top with slices of Provolone.
  4. Enjoy!

What comes on a Blimpie best sandwich? ›

BLIMPIE Best: Ham, salami, capicola, prosciuttini, provolone, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, vinegar, oil, oregano.

When did Quiznos come out? ›

The first Quiznos restaurant was opened in Denver, Colorado, in 1981, by founder Jimmy Lambatos and his partner, Todd Disner. Lambatos was an experienced chef, having worked as an executive chef for the Colorado Mine Co.

Who owns Blimpie's? ›

Image of Who owns Blimpie's?
Kahala Brands is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canada-based MTY Food Group Inc. of Montreal, Quebec. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Kahala is one of North America's largest holding company of franchise fast food restaurant companies.
Wikipedia

When was Jersey Mike's started? ›

It started back in 1956, in this actual storefront location and was originally called Mike's Subs. Mike opened the small shop in the sea-side town of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. You have to remember that in 1956, there were very few franchise restaurants or hamburger chains.

Who is the founder of Blimpies? ›

Tony Conza, Peter DeCarlo and Angelo Bandassare borrowed $2,000 to open the first Blimpie restaurant in their Hoboken hometown. The trio got off to a hot start as the local community fell in love with the fresh-sliced sandwiches and they sold the very first franchise to a friend within the first year of business.

When was Jersey Mike's founded? ›

It started back in 1956, in this actual storefront location and was originally called Mike's Subs. Mike opened the small shop in the sea-side town of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. You have to remember that in 1956, there were very few franchise restaurants or hamburger chains.

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