Whatever Happened To Blimpie Sandwiches?

Quick service, properly made hoagie-style sandwiches have proven to be not only popular in the United States, but all over the world. Consider fast food giant Subway, which boasts over 37,000 locations in over 100 countries. And, while not as widespread, places like Firehouse Subs and Jimmy John's are plentiful enough to show people that big, long, customizable sandwiches are probably here to stay. Before any of these sandwich shops existed, though, there was Blimpie, which debuted in 1964, a year before Subway opened up its first location.

Blimpie was enormously successful, spiking in popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s with over 2,000 locations nationwide by the new millennium. Today, a little over 100 locations are in operation, and due to a lack of advertising, some people might be surprised that the company still exists at all. Between some unsuccessful changes in ownership, ho-hum advertising campaigns, and just not being able to keep up with the growth of other sandwich chains, Blimpie has fallen behind in the sandwich business race. It is, however, still in the race. Those who want to revisit the subs from their youth, or would like to see how they hold up against other chains, may have to travel a bit to find a location. Your best bet is heading towards New Jersey, where the shop originated and where there are still 23 locations (as of April 2024).

In 1964, friends Tony Conza, Peter DeCarlo, and Angelo Baldassare borrowed $2,000 from another friend and opened the first Blimpie location in Hoboken, New Jersey. On their first day of business, customers were lined up for hours waiting to order these classic American sub sandwiches. Success was so swift that the three opened up two more locations within 90 days of launch. Indeed, business boomed and money came rolling in, but with a lack of business savvy, Conza admitted to New Jersey Monthly that the trio decided to open up more stores and start franchising instead of paying their bills, a decision that ended up burying them in debt for decades to come.

From the late 1980s to the early 2000s, business for Blimpie boomed, and the company topped out at over 2,000 locations. In 2002, Conza sold the business to a private investor group, a move that would see Blimpie's success begin to decrease. After losing 200 locations, Blimpie was sold again to Kahala Brands in 2006, but unfortunately, locations continued to close. Whereas other sub companies like the fast-growing Jersey Mike's and Subway have partnered with high-profile celebrities and experienced mega-successful campaigns like "Eat Fresh!" and "$5 footlong" (both from Subway), Blimpie has not created any iconic advertising that could have contributed to its growth.

You may not see any commercials for Blimpie, but the company stays active on social media and maintains a pretty scrumptious-looking menu with classic, premium, hot, and limited-time sub sandwiches, plus catering options that are ideal for parties and large groups. Still, many who aren't willing to travel to the remaining locations will probably never try its offerings if Blimpie doesn't make a comeback, as most states in the U.S. don't have a single Blimpie restaurant.

But people love a great revival story, and some eateries that went into a downward spiral have gotten a second chance at life. Places like Dave & Buster's, Cicis Pizza, and California Pizza Kitchen have proven that businesses can revamp after a funk. Blimpie does have a lot of competition, but we think a solid Super Bowl commercial, maybe an epic, nationwide giveaway contest, some strong social media interaction, and perhaps an endorsement by a Grammy winner could make it a sandwich force to be reckoned with.