Lenny's Sub Shop Coming to Speedway

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Katie Banks, Derrick Storms and Deidre Lents

Photo by Linda Karn

(posted Jan 26)

Lenny's Sub Shop is coming to Speedway. Forty-five year-old operating partner Derrick Storms said he has not been this excited since he started working fast food 30 years ago.

Storms is not surprised if many people have not heard of the Memphis based upscale sub shop because Lenny's was not part of the Indiana market until July 2007 when he opened the first store in Avon. He plans to open three more with Speedway being next in March. His other markets are Hamilton County and Tippecanoe County.

Deidre Lents and a team of 15 employees will serve the one pound and half pound subs at the Speedway shop. Lents, a Twin Oaks neighborhood resident, is telling all of her neighbors about Lenny's and its signature hot pepper relish and Philly cheese steak. Lents explained once the staff transitions into the new store they will start offering kids night. She said they hire clowns, cartoon mascots and face painters. The kids can have their picture taken with the cartoon mascot. Monday Kids Night is fully operational at the Avon store, 9259 US 36 across from Wal-Mart.

Storms categorized the hot pepper relish, made from cherry peppers, fitting somewhere in between jalapeņo and banana peppers. Once people try it they demand it. They have already sold ten cases of the individual jars and are waiting for another shipment of hot pepper relish.

Storms selected Speedway because he is familiar with the area as he use to manage the Wendy's where CVS now stands. "Speedway is a good town," he said. He is excited about the redevelopment plans and the opportunity to capture race fans. He plans to decorate the store in a racing theme. Lenny's differs from the other competitor sub shops because they want to know the customers' names. Every customer is greeted because it is Lenny's intent to be the neighborhood sub shop.

Lenny's is locating in the Speedway Shoppes, within 1,000 feet of his competitors Quiznos and Sub Way. Although he does not have the national brand recognition or the advertising budget for TV ads. He plans use to Katie Banks, marketing director, for the ad blitz tactics, promoting Lenny's by word of mouth, door-to-door and community involvement. As the neighborhood sub shop, Lenny's wants to be involved in the community. He said they are very active in Avon and Danville schools, churches, soccer leagues, and offer discounts to police and fire fighters. Banks will also be promoting delivery service from 11 am to 2 pm and its catering business.

The arrival of Lenny's Sub Shop has been exciting news for its next door neighbor. Chocolate Gallery owner Kim Cauldwell said construction workers have been coming over to check out the candy. She thinks Lenny's will only increase store traffic as customers drift over to satisfy that chocolate or ice cream craving for dessert.