A national sandwich chain best known for its customizable sandwiches, creative ordering system, and personalized sandwich bags, has its sights set on opening stores in Santa Maria.
Representatives of Which Wich sandwich stores said they are hoping to place between three and five stores in the city eventually, but for now they are still seeking franchisees that live in the area. Which Wich Director of Franchise Development Connie Alires said Santa Maria is a natural fit for the brand, which already has a store in San Luis Obispo.
“Right now we are kind of looking at where is a good core cultural fit with the brand,” she said.
The sandwich shop is known for having more than 50 ingredients and allowing customers to completely customize their order. In 2014, QSR named Which Wich one of its “2014 Best Franchise Deals” and Forbes listed Which Wich as one of its 2014 “30 Best Franchises To Buy.”
Alires identified the chain’s demographic as people who live a healthy lifestyle and people who want control over their food choices. They are looking for franchisees that want to live, work and play in their own community but also want to be part of a national brand.
City of Santa Maria public information officer Mark van de Kamp confirmed that the chain has not yet pulled permits to locate in Santa Maria, and addressed other possible businesses coming into the city. He said that there have been a lot of rumors about the possibility of various popular chains coming to Santa Maria, however the city’s planning department is hesitant to confirm the name of any until after all paperwork is fulfilled.
This article appears in Aug 27 – Sep 3, 2015.
