Subs-N-Such at 211 S. Seth Childs was opened in 1980 by Les Swenson and his wife Sharon, then students at Kansas State University. Opening a business helped pay for their college expenses, and allowed them to pay in-state tuition versus the more expensive out-of-state. Starting out with domestic equipment, they sold about 10-15 sandwiches per day.
In 1987, upon graduation for the Swenson’s, they sold the business to Frank and Arliss Douglass. To own his own business was something Frank had dreamed of during all his years working for IBM. Arliss volunteered at the sub shop for a few months to learn the ropes and to see if it was something that the couple would like (and also do well at!). When the Douglass’s took over there was no cash register and no oven. How do you run a business with no cash register? A sandwich shop with no place to bake fresh bread?
By 1990, they had a cash register, a proofer and oven, a second location (1443 Anderson), and had begun delivery services. One of the people they hired was Paula Kelly (who was referred by her good friend Kim!). But in 1991 they took a step back and closed the Anderson location. In 1992, a couple of big things happened. Paula graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management, fiancé Darrin with Industrial Psychology, and Frank had a heart attack. His health forced Frank and Arliss to take more time off as he followed doctor’s orders.
One evening, in early November, Paula told Frank that he ought to sell the shop and take care of his health. Frank’s response was “Why, you want to buy the place?” Paula talked to her fiancé, Darrin Frey, who was finishing up his degree at KSU. Though the consensus was that it was a crazy idea, and a small restaurant is hard to keep profitable, she talked Darrin into taking the challenge, and on December 1, 1992, they became owners of the little sub shop.
Frank and Arliss stayed on to help for a few months. Darrin finished up his internship, and soon after his graduation, Darrin and Paula were married. It was decided that the restaurant was doing well enough to be the family business permanently.
In 2000, the building on Seth Child’s was sold and we moved into 1800 Claflin #170, Wildcat Landing, at the corner of Claflin and Denison. Students walking by on their way to class, football fans walking by on their way to a game, all the faculty on campus that can trot across the street for a sub have all helped to make the KSU corner location wonderful.
August of 2015 came another move we teamed up with Dara’s Corner Market, which happened to be right next door at 1816 Claflin, making for an easy move. Now we’ve expanded into neighboring Junction City, Kansas. The Footlocker Distribution Center needed a new kitchen operator(s), and we accepted the invitation to serve those employed there! Nowadays, our hope is that you feel like you’re walking into a family. Not just a family owned business, but a real family, because that’s what so many of our customers are –Our chosen family.