Explore Steamboat, Subway coming to west side

Subway coming to west side

Friday, June 1, 2007

Photo by Brian Ray

One half of the Kum & Go building, shown here at U.S. Highway 40 and Curve Plaza in Steamboat Springs on Thursday, will soon host a Subway restaurant location.

Steamboat Springs — Sandwiches in the six and 12-inch variety are making their way to the west side of Steamboat Springs.

George Barlow, who opened his first Subway in Central Park Plaza in Steamboat in 1990, is opening a second Subway in the Kum & Go building on the southwest corner of Elk River Road and U.S. Highway 40.

“We’ve tried to find a location on the west side of Steamboat for about three years,” said Barlow. “We need to be there and we need to be a part of it.”

That is because there are not a lot of places to grab food quickly on that side of town, Barlow said. There are a lot of hungry people, too, such as those working in the Copper Ridge Business Park, the future Routt County Justice Center, the Steamboat Pilot & Today and those living in current and future subdivisions west of downtown Steamboat.

Barlow said he is remodeling the space and is aiming to have the restaurant opened by early July.

“We’re trying to do something different with this store,” said Barlow, adding there may be an additional business element that he said he could not talk about yet.

Barlow said the future Subway will be a “fancy-dancy fully automated Subway with a drive-through.”

Humans will not take your order in the drive-through.

Instead, customers will pull up to a computer screen and an automated voice will prompt the customer to enter sandwich specifications. Customers will then pay for their orders with a credit card, and workers will make the specified sandwiched for delivery at a drive-through window.

“It speeds things and creates a higher level of accuracy,” Barlow said. “It’s a concept that came out about a year ago.”

There will be one automated system inside in addition to the traditional Subway sandwich line.

“It will make it nice, fast and easy,” Barlow said.

With the new Subway, the west entrance to the building opposite the gas pumps will be utilized where there are additional parking spaces.

Barlow said he plans on installing lounge chairs, and there will be wireless Internet access.

“We’re trying to create a really nice environment for people to come to on the west side of Steamboat,” Barlow said.