Downtown Elgin Quiznos to close

After eight years serving downtown Elgin, the local Quiznos franchise will close this week. Joe Follrath and Suzanne Pfaff have owned the business at 59 Douglas Ave. since 2002, but Follrath said three strikes are putting them out.

Problems stemming from the corporate level added to recessionary problems businesses are feeling across the country, they said. And though Follrath said the business has had support from the city, construction was the final strike. “The street construction for three years just murdered us,” Follrath said. “People just stayed away and they're not coming back.”

The franchise had a little more than five good years, but things started to go downhill after its 2007 peak.

According to the Downtown Neighborhood Association, more than 1,000 franchisee-owned Quiznos closed between 2007 and 2009. Owners cited corporate policy decisions like drastic coupon discounts as primary reasons to shut their doors.

Tonya Hudson, executive director of the DNA, said the Quiznos closing will leave a void in the downtown area.

“There's no such thing as ‘just business' down here,” Hudson said. “This is very personal for all of us.”

Neither Follrath nor Pfaff plans to stay in the restaurant ownership business. Follrath, at 66, said he would like to work part time and travel more to be with his grandchildren. Pfaff will be looking for a full-time job.

The store's actual closing date depends on inventory. Follrath expects to run out of supplies by Wednesday or Thursday, depending on sales.

Though downtown must say goodbye to Quiznos, Follrath said he hopes someone new will buy the store's equipment for cheap and keep a restaurant in the space.

“It's a beautiful old building. The landlord is great,” Follrath said. “It's a turnkey operation for somebody that wants to come in, tear the Quiznos stuff down and run a shop.”