Penn Station Opens Eighth Charlotte-Area Location, Offers New Franchise Deal

A new Penn Station East Coast Subs just started serving customers at 2950 Union Road in Gastonia, North Carolina. This marks the eighth shop for franchise owner Eric Fairbanks in the Charlotte region.

"We're excited to bring Penn Station to this part of Gastonia," said Fairbanks to Franchising.com. "This neighborhood has great traffic and a strong residential base. We saw an opportunity to serve a growing community with fresh, high-quality food and fast, friendly service."

The sub shop sits in South Gastonia's busy streets, near Old Neal Hawkins Road. What once stood as a bank now serves sandwiches, with a handy pickup window for mobile and web orders. Customers can grab their food without leaving their cars.

As part of their growth push, Penn Station aims to hit 500 stores within five years. They've cut franchise fees by 50% and dropped royalty charges for new owners' first six months: a special deal for their 40th year.

"Eric's ability to identify strategic locations and deliver a great guest experience has been key to his success — and to ours," said Lance Vaught, President of Penn Station East Coast Subs.

Jeff Osterfeld started the chain in Cincinnati back in 1985. Now, 320 stores dot the map across America. Their menu stars hot and cold subs, hand-cut fries, and fresh-squeezed lemonade made right when ordered.

"This is our 40th year in business, and we are excited to help entrepreneurs live out the dream of owning a restaurant," said Don Champion, Senior Vice President of Franchise Development and Sales.

Starting in the Midwest, Penn Station now stretches from Ohio to Michigan. Their newest spots pop up in the Carolinas, showing steady growth from their roots in states like Indiana, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.