News

DiBella’s Expands Presence in Capital Region

Company opens its second location in the area in Latham on June 16

LATHAM, NY – 13 June 2011 – DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines, the Rochester, NY based restaurant chain today announced that it would open its second Albany-area location at 2 Wade Road in Latham on Thursday June 16^th. DiBella’s other store in the Albany area is at 1235 Western Avenue inAlbany.

The restaurant will give away free subs for a year to the first 10 customers after the doors open at 10am, and will hold a drawing for 10 more winners who visit throughout the day. More details are available atwww.dibellas.com. There will also be other prizes and giveaways for other first-day customers.

DiBella’s restaurants specialize in premium submarine sandwiches, consisting of the highest quality ingredients, including fresh bread baked in the store throughout the day. The restaurant offers a wide variety of hot and cold subs, ranging from traditional Italian cold-cut sandwiches to buffalo chicken subs. DiBella’s also offers catering services, including sub trays, boxed lunches and cookie trays.

“Albany has been great to us so far,” said Jim Paladenic, DiBella’s Chief Operating Officer. “We’re excited to be able to expand here and serve a larger customer base. The response has been fantastic, and we expect that to continue.”

DiBella’s restaurants have a 1940’s corner restaurant theme that creates a sense of nostalgia that customers find a welcome accompaniment to a high-quality meal. The entire atmosphere is designed to help the customer feel as though they’ve stepped back in time to a simpler, happy era.

Regular hours at the Latham location will be 10am-9pm 7 days a week.

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From the Parma Sun News, 6/9/2011:

New Independence eatery draws patrons hoping to win subs for a year

By Susan Ketchum, Sun News

INDEPENDENCE-- A line of customers greeted the employees of DiBella’s Subs when they arrived to open the store June 2.

It was the grand opening for the new restaurant, located in Liberty Plaza on Rockside Road. As part of its promotion, DiBella’s offered free sandwiches for a year to the first 10 customers.

“It is always fun to open a store and see people waiting in line,” said Adam Burton, chief marketing officer for chain, based in Rochester, N.Y. “The first people in line got here around midnight.”

Customers also received T-shirts, frisbees and, after the first 10, the chance to enter a drawing in which 10 more people would win free subs for a year. The restaurant offers a line of “old-fashioned submarines,” including classic combinations ranging in price from $5.49 to $8.49, as well as specialty subs. All sandwiches are made with high-quality ingredients and served on bread baked at the store throughout the day, Burton said.

The new location is ideal because it will serve the surrounding businesses during the day, but can draw local families at night, Burton said. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. It has 55 employees, including manager Marlene Rivera of North Royalton.

“I have been in restaurant management for about 15 years,” Rivera said. “DiBella’s has a unique atmosphere and the quality of the food is outstanding.”

Bob Couzens of Parma agrees. He arrived just after midnight, prepared with a mattress, sleeping bag and pillow. He saw only two other people in line, so he called his friend Gene Boyko, also of Parma, to wait with him. The two enjoyed the company of the “congenial” group that slowly gathered, then spent the night talking and having fun.

“This is a first for me,” Boyko said. “I always made fun of people who did this, and now here I am, sitting up all night.”

After receiving the year’s worth of coupons, the men stayed to try their first subs. Couzens ordered the “Godfather,” a combination of Genoa salami, capicola and spicy ham.

“It was a fantastic sandwich. This is the real deal. They are going to do very well,” Couzens said.

He also liked the atmosphere at the store, which is designed to be “reminiscent of a 1940s corner deli,” including plenty of seating and a “nice size” kitchen.

“I don’t have a drop of food at my house. I cook seven days a week at the restaurant, so I don’t cook at home,” he said. “We will be back long after these coupons are gone.”

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DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines to Open Fifth Cleveland-Area Location

Independence store will open Thursday, June 2 with giveaways for customers

CLEVELAND, OH – 31 May 2011 – DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines, the Rochester, NY based restaurant chain today announced that it would open its new location at 6708 Rockside Road in Independence on Thursday, June 2^nd. This is the company’s fifth location in the area; DiBella’s also has restaurants in Solon, Warrensville Heights, Strongsville and Mentor.

“We are extremely excited to expand our presence in the Cleveland area,” said Jim Paladenic, DiBella’s Chief Operating Officer. “Independence has a ton of potential for us, and we’re thrilled to be a part of its growth. We think the folks out here will really appreciate some of the best subs around.”

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From the Dublin Villager, 5/12/2011:

DiBella's: Our sandwich bread rises to the occasion

So you're thinking, "Yawn. Not another sub shop."

Indeed, another national sandwich chain has picked Columbus for its next Ohio store.

DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines, based in Rochester, N.Y., has opened at 4949 Tuttle Crossing Blvd.

Adam Burton, chief marketing officer for the company, stresses that DiBella's is not just another sandwich shop.

"Once you try our subs, you're not going to want anybody else's," he said. "Give it a shot. Trust me: It's better than anything you've ever had."

DiBella's joins countless other sub shops in the region, both national and homegrown, including Subway, Jersey Mike's, Quiznos, Penn Station, Jimmy John's, Potbelly, Charlie's Grilled Subs, w.g. Grinders and Johnny Buccelli's.

One key difference, Burton said, is the bread. The frozen dough is delivered raw to each of the company's 21 corporate stores, where it proofs and is baked on site.

Another distinction is that DiBella's does not toast its subs "because we don't think that's fair to our bread," he said.

Similar to other sandwich chains, it offers cold and grilled meats, topped with a choice of cheeses and condiments. Subs come in small (7 inches), medium (10) and large (14). The menu is rounded out with green salads and fresh-baked cookies, chips and pasta, macaroni and potato salads.

DiBella's started as an Italian grocery store in 1918 and began selling subs about 30 years ago. It became a subs-only business 20 years ago and began expanding five years later.

"It had a personal feel that really resonated with customers," Burton said, adding that DiBella's has 21 stores in four states.

The location for the first Columbus store, an outparcel at the main entrance of the Mall at Tuttle Crossing, was chosen because of the high traffic counts, growth in the area and stellar demographics, Burton said. The 4,000-square-foot space formerly was occupied by a Cord Camera. A patterned ceiling, subway-tiled floors, red neon signs, diner-style booths give an "old-school" atmosphere, he said.

"From the first step you take in the door, you will notice the difference," Burton said. "It doesn't feel like a chain when you come in."

David Kincheloe, president of National Restaurant Consultants, said the fast-casual segment of the industry is flourishing because of the economy. As long as DiBella's differentiates itself from the throng of current sandwich shops, it can thrive, even in the competitive central Ohio market, he said.

"If they're providing what is perceived by the guest as a true value, they'll fit in and generate their own kind of market excitement," he said.

DiBella's is open lunch and dinner hours daily. For more information, call (614) 717-1111.

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DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines to Open First Columbus-Area Restaurant

Location near Tuttle Crossing Mall opens May 5th

COLUMBUS, OH – 2 May 2011 – DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines, the Rochester, NY based restaurant chain, today announced that it would open its first Columbus-area location at 4949 Tuttle Crossing Blvd. on Thursday, May 5^th. While this is the company’s first location in Columbus, it has over 20 others in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York.

DiBella’s restaurants specialize in premium submarine sandwiches, consisting of the highest quality ingredients, including fresh bread baked in the store throughout the day. The restaurant offers a wide variety of hot and cold subs, ranging from traditional Italian cold-cut sandwiches to Buffalo chicken subs. DiBella’s also offers catering services, including sub trays, boxed lunches and cookie trays.

“We are thrilled to be coming to Columbus,” said Jim Paladenic, DiBella’s Chief Operating Officer. “The city has a reputation as a home for great restaurants and food in general, and we’re excited to be a part of it. We’re definitely looking forward to serving the folks in the area the best subs around.”

The restaurant will give away free subs for a year to the first 10 customers after the doors open at 10am. The promotion is limited to one per household, and only DiBella’s issued numbers will be valid for people waiting in line. In addition, the store will hold a drawing for 10 more sets of free subs for a year for customers who can’t arrive early. Regular hours for the store will be 10am-9pm daily.

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DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines Newest Store to Open in Auburn Hills

Location near Oakland University will be company’s second in Michigan

AUBURN HILLS, MI – 26 April 2011 – DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines, the Rochester, NY based restaurant chain, today announced that it would open its first Auburn Hills location at 3395 University Drive on Thursday, April 28^th. This is the company’s second location in the state; DiBella’s also has a restaurant in Ann Arbor.

DiBella’s restaurants specialize in premium submarine sandwiches, consisting of the highest quality ingredients, including fresh bread baked in the store throughout the day. The restaurant offers a wide variety of hot and cold subs, ranging from traditional Italian cold-cut sandwiches to Buffalo chicken subs. DiBella’s also offers catering services, including sub trays, boxed lunches and cookie trays.

“We are extremely excited to come to downtown Auburn Hills,” said Jim Paladenic, DiBella’s Chief Operating Officer. “Oakland County is a great place to do business, and we’re thrilled to get a foothold here. We’re definitely looking forward to serving the folks in the area the best subs around.”

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Business Booming In Transformed Market Square

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Thousands of people will be in downtown Pittsburgh for next weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and they may not recognize Market Square.

Read the rest of the article and find video HERE

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DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines Sets Opening Date For Market Square Location

First downtown location opens in Market Square on March 3 with free gifts, food for customers

PITTSBURGH, PA – 28 February 2011 – DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines, the Rochester, NY based restaurant chain today announced that it would open its first downtown location at 16 Market Square on Thursday, March 3^rd. This is the company’s third location in the area; DiBella’s also has restaurants in Robinson and Cranberry Township.

“We are extremely excited to come to downtown Pittsburgh,” said Jim Paladenic, DiBella’s Chief Operating Officer. “Market Square is a great area, and we’re thrilled to be a part of its renewal. We’re definitely looking forward to serving the folks downtown the best subs around.”

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DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines Arrives in Albany

First area location opens in University Plaza on February 23 with free gifts, food for customers

ALBANY, NY – 11 February 2011 – DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines, the Rochester, NY based restaurant chain today announced that it would open its first Albany-area location at 1235 Western Avenue on February 23^rd. The restaurant will give away free subs for a year to the first 10 customers after the doors open at 10am.

“We are extremely excited to come to Albany,” said Jim Paladenic, Dibella’s Chief Operating Officer. “Eastern New York has always been on our radar, and we feel like Albany holds a great deal of opportunity. We’re definitely looking forward to introducing the people of Albany to the best subs around.”

While the University Plaza location will be DiBella’s first in the area, the company also has plans to add further locations, with the next planned to open in Latham in late spring or early summer.