Potbelly is opening a location on the west side of Springfield on May 13, which has been in the works for nearly three years.
Rob Wilbern, a certified public accountant who also owned Robert's Automotive and several other businesses in Springfield, announced in 2022 he had signed a franchise agreement with the parent company for Potbelly and planned to open a total of five restaurants throughout Springfield, Decatur and Champaign. Wilbern said he initially intended to have his first restaurant on the west side of Springfield, but had trouble finding a suitable location.
The Champaign store opened in January 2024, followed by a location inside the Memorial Learning Center in March of last year. Wilbern then signed a lease for 2,000 square feet of the new building at 3061 Wabash Ave. Area developer Steve Zhao constructed the strip center, which includes 4,000 square feet for Izumi, a conveyor-belt style Asian restaurant that opened last month.
Wilbern told SBJ that the expansion to the west side will also allow Potbelly to serve a larger area through Grubhub, DoorDash and similar delivery services.
“Springfield’s rich history and a strong sense of community make it the perfect place
for Potbelly,” said Wilbern. “There’s a real sense of pride in bringing a brand with deep Illinois roots into the heart of the state. We’re proud to grow the Potbelly footprint here and look forward to serving our neighbors with toasty sandwiches, signature salads, hand-dipped shakes and freshly-baked cookies.”
At the May 13 grand opening, guests who sign up for the Potbelly Perks rewards program will receive a free cookie as a thank-you. Guests can show their Perks registration email at checkout to redeem the offer.
The west-side location will be open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
