Firehouse Subs reopened in Springfield Nov. 11 after a four-year absence. The restaurant at 4151 W. Wabash Ave. previously operated from 2012-2018.
The Veterans Day grand opening was especially appropriate since the new owner/operator, Larry Webb, is a veteran who served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army.
“How symbolic to be able to do this on Veterans Day, especially with the culture of Firehouse Subs of giving back to our community,” said Webb. “What an honor to serve our country; that’s been a major highlight of my life. That’s what it means to be in the military, giving back to our country, our communities and our families.”
Webb took early retirement from the military to care for his father, a disabled veteran who was diagnosed with a terminal illness. He and his wife decided to stay in Missouri to be closer to their families, and Webb opened his first Firehouse Sub franchise in St. Charles, Missouri, in 2012, then followed with another in Quincy in 2019.
“I looked a lot of concepts, but Firehouse is the real deal, giving back isn’t just a talking point,” said Webb. “I really embrace the whole Firehouse culture of being relevant in our communities.”
A portion of every purchase goes to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which provides funding and equipment to first responders.
Webb also has family in the Springfield area and said that led to his decision to take on the location here. The interior of the restaurant has been redone and now includes a hand-painted mural featuring a Springfield fire engine, with a nod to Abraham Lincoln’s impact on the city. Since the opening of the first Firehouse Subs in 1994, mural artist Joe Puskas and his team have painted more than 1,200 murals for the locations nationwide.
The Springfield restaurant will have operating hours of 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week.
