A May opening is planned for the Tramonto location with a drive-thru along North Valley Parkway in the Tramonto Marketplace shopping center.
Jimmy John’s franchise owner and Phoenix-area native Alex Irusta, is bringing more than just his love for the Illinois-headquartered chain’s sub sandwiches back to his home state.
For Alex, it’s about the love of both his family and his work family that propelled him toward his goal of opening a Jimmy John’s.
While attending college in central Illinois, Alex worked at Jimmy John’s as a training manager. It was the culture that he was drawn to. “The culture and consistency of the brand is something unlike anything else. It was all one big family, one big team—the company is just so loving,” he said.
After college, Alex began working on the company’s operational end where his commitment to the brand grew. He even thought about opening his own franchise some day.
It wasn’t until after Alex and his wife Courtney welcomed their first child that the couple would revisit franchise ownership. Daughter Mila, now almost 3-years-old, was born with a rare genetic disorder, which has required multiple brain surgeries, out-of-state care and the need for more family support.
That’s when Alex’s parents, Trudy and Andres Irusta, stepped in to help Alex, Courtney and Mila plan their move back to Phoenix and help Alex pursue his franchise ownership goal. Andres has helped Alex every step of the way, from finding the right space to helping with the buildout, including hand-digging all of the underground plumbing since they began working on the shell in November.
And, the family is in a happy place. “We’re in a good spot,” Courtney said of Mila’s health, adding, “We have the opportunity to bring the love we discovered in Illinois back here where we’re from and we’re super excited.”
The Tramonto Jimmy John’s is hiring at https://nowhiring.com/freakyfreshcareers/.