Firehouse Subs is starting work on the second phase of its new headquarters in the Deerwood North office park, where the Jacksonville-grown company relocated April 1.
It will include the test kitchen where its next menu items can be fired up and a dedicated space for creation of artwork.
“Phase two will include a state-of-the-art innovation kitchen and a new mural studio for Chief Mural Artist Joe Puskas and his mural artists,” a spokesperson said July 28.
Firehouse Subs locations feature interior wall murals that reflect the community.
A large meeting space for hosting potential franchisees and other larger gatherings will also be added, the spokesperson said.
The city is reviewing a building permit application for an estimated almost $800,000 project for renovations on the third and fourth floors of the four-story building at 4600 Touchton Road E. in Deerwood Park North, Building 100.
Deerwood North is north of Butler Boulevard and east of Southside Boulevard. The office park is east of Tinseltown at northwest Gate Parkway and Touchton Road.
Marcy Construction Group LLC of Jacksonville is the contractor. Connie Turner Interiors of Jacksonville is the interior designer.
Meskel & Associates Engineering PLLC is providing private plan review. The property owner is SREIT Deerwood Park North LLC.
The project comprises 44,266 square feet of space.
Firehouse Subs is known for its firefighter-inspired menu, such as the Hook & Ladder Sub made with Virginia honey ham, smoked turkey breast and melted Monterey Jack. Firehouse was founded in 1994 by firefighter brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen.
The restaurant steams its meats and cheeses and serves its subs on toasted private-recipe rolls.
Firehouse Subs was sold in December 2021 to Restaurant Brands International Inc. for $1 billion.
The spokesperson said May 7 that Firehouse Subs moved to “a premier location in the heart of Jacksonville’s southside, featuring an open concept to fuel collaboration.
It is about 10 miles north of its previous office at 12735 Gran Bay Parkway, Building 100, Suite 150, in Flagler Center.
The spokesperson, who asked not to be identified by name or title, said Firehouse relocated into 40,000 square feet, where it has 125 employees.
That is larger than its previous office, which had about 31,525 square feet of space.
The initial improvements primarily were finishes to the existing space.
Firehouse Subs growth
When RBI said in November 2021 it would buy Firehouse Restaurant Group Inc., parent of the nationwide Firehouse Subs fast-casual chain of almost 1,000 restaurants, it said it would keep the Firehouse Subs restaurant chain headquartered in Jacksonville.
In North America, RBI also owns the Tim Hortons, Burger King and Popeyes restaurant chains.
RBI’s principal executive offices are in Miami. It says its brands are headquartered in their home markets where they were founded: Canada for Tim Hortons and the U.S. for Burger King, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs.
RBI reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission that as of March 31, 2025, it franchised or owned 6,039 Tim Hortons restaurants, 19,716 Burger King restaurants, 5,015 Popeyes restaurants and 1,379 Firehouse Subs restaurants, for a total of 32,149 restaurants, and it operates in more than 120 countries and territories.
More than 90% of its restaurants are franchised.
In 2016, Robin Sorensen said the then 22-year-old Firehouse Subs company was moving 110 employees from six buildings in Mandarin to Flagler Center by early 2017.
The move allowed Firehouse Subs to almost double in size from nearly 17,000 square feet to 31,525 square feet.
Firehouse Subs had been operating in six buildings, primarily along Kori Road and another facility on Shad Road.
The main Kori Road operation began as a single office originally occupied by Firehouse Subs partner Stephen Joost in the mid-1990s.