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Firehouse Subs co-founder dies after building beloved American sandwich chain with brother
New York Post • • business
Key Points:
- Chris Sorensen, co-founder of Firehouse Subs, passed away at the age of 65; before his restaurant career, he was a professional guitarist and a firefighter like his father.
- Sorensen and his brother Robin started Firehouse Subs in 1994 in Jacksonville with less than $100 in their accounts, initially focusing on subs but receiving their first order as two hot dogs.
- Chris was instrumental in designing the restaurant interiors, incorporating custom murals honoring local fire and police services, and acted as the chain's unofficial archivist.
- Firehouse Subs grew to over 1,200 locations and was sold in 2021 for $1 billion to Restaurant Brands International, which also owns Burger King.
- In 2005, the Sorensen brothers founded the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which has granted over $118 million to more than 7,700 first-responder departments across the US and Canada.
