2 restaurants, bank nearing completion in Easton area | Eat, Sip, Shop

FORKS TWP., Pa. – A new retail and restaurant project in the Easton area is set to welcome its first tenants next month.

New locations of submarine sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s Subs and Chase Bank – the consumer banking division of New York-based JPMorgan Chase & Co. – are set to open in September in newly constructed buildings at Sullivan Trail and Town Center Boulevard in Forks Township.

The property was previously the site of a Rita’s Italian Ice stand, a single-family home, and a commercial structure housing Aqua Pool & Spa Supply Inc. and Big Boys Grill.

A Starbucks cafe with a drive-thru also is planned for the site, with interior work expected to start in October or November, according to Sean Leonard, managing partner of New Jersey-based N3 Real Estate & Development, which is developing the project.

Jersey Mike’s Subs

According to Jersey Mike’s franchisee Gerrit Curran, he and his team are aiming to open the Forks eatery on Sept. 13.

“If we miss that mark then we will shoot for the following week!” Curran said.

Jersey Mike’s, headquartered in Manasquan, New Jersey, began as a single storefront location – originally called Mike’s Subs – in 1956 in Point Pleasant, N.J.

In 1971, Peter Cancro was living in Point Pleasant when he began working at Mike’s Subs at the age of 14.

Cancro enjoyed the business’ food as well as interacting with customers – learning about where they’re from and what their vacations entailed.

With a loan backed by his football coach, who was also a banker, Cancro purchased Mike’s Subs a few years later at the age of 17.

After marrying his former wife, Linda, and opening a couple of more local outposts of Mike’s Subs, Cancro eventually changed the business’ name to Jersey Mike’s Subs and started franchising in 1987.

“Today, Peter Cancro is CEO of Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems Inc., overseeing more than 2,000 locations open and under development,” a message on the chain’s website reads. “… Today, the authentic taste – served Mike’s Way with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, oil, vinegar and spices – is available nationwide.”

“Our secret? Everything about Jersey Mike’s is high quality. Our MSA grade top round beef are trimmed and cooked right in the store. Our meats and cheeses are all top-quality premium brands. Our bread is fresh-baked each day on the premises. And of course, everything’s prepared right in front of you.”

Jersey Mike’s restaurants, featuring wallpaper and other decor paying homage to the business’ Jersey Shore roots, promise to serve “a sub above.”

In addition to featuring USDA Choice top rounds of roast beef, fine aged cheeses and its signature “juice” – a red wine vinegar and olive oil blend that gives the subs their “zing,” the company carries produce that is grown, packed and shipped locally (where available).

Subs, which can be ordered as a single sandwich or as part of a meal with chips and a drink, include more than a dozen fresh-sliced options such as the “Club Supreme” (roast beef, turkey, Swiss, applewood-smoked bacon and mayo) and “Jersey Shore’s Favorite” (provolone, ham and cappacuolo) along with a dozen grilled-to-order varieties such as a Buffalo chicken cheesesteak, bacon ranch chicken cheesesteak and Big Kahuna cheesesteak (grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos and extra white American cheese).

Curran also operates other regional Jersey Mike’s outposts, including those in Lower Macungie and Whitehall townships in Lehigh County, Spring Township in Berks County and East Norwegian Township in Schuylkill County.

Chase Bank

The new freestanding Chase Bank location, which will be a full-service branch, is scheduled to open Sept. 6 at 1510 Sullivan Trail, according to Jimmy Contreras, vice president of U.S. regional communications for JPMorgan Chase.

The branch will host a ribbon-cutting celebration on Sept. 26.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. traces its roots to 1799 in New York City, according to the bank’s website.

The financial services firm, based in the United States, is built on the foundation of more than 1,200 predecessor institutions that have come together through the years to form today’s company.

As of June 30, the bank had $3.9 trillion in assets and $313 billion in stockholders’ equity.

The firm offers investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.

Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, it serves millions of customers in the U.S. along with many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally.

Chase Bank, with more than 4,700 branches and more than 16,000 ATMs, has around a dozen regional locations.

A branch with two ATMs opened in December at Seventh and Linden streets in downtown Allentown.

Starbucks

Lastly, next to the new Jersey Mike’s eatery will be a new outpost of Starbucks, the coffee shop chain with more than 36,000 locations worldwide.

Starbucks, connecting with millions of customers daily in more than 80 markets, opened its first store – offering fresh-roasted coffee beans, tea and spices from around the world – in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market in 1971.

The business’ name was inspired by the classic Herman Melville novel “Moby-Dick,” evoking the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders. In the 1851 tale, Starbuck was the name of the first mate on the whaling ship Pequod.

Starbucks serves up a vast selection of specialty drinks, including lattes such as chestnut praline and cinnamon dolce; mochas such as peppermint and toasted white chocolate; Frappuccino blended beverages such as caramel brulee and java chip; and Starbucks Refreshers, made with fruit juice and lightly caffeinated with green coffee extract, such as pineapple passionfruit and strawberry acai.

Customers also can enjoy various food offerings, including sous vide egg bites, breakfast sandwiches and wraps, lunch sandwiches and bakery items such as bagels, brownies, croissants and danishes.

A Starbucks representative did not immediately return a message seeking more details, including a tentative opening date, for the new Forks location.