Jacksonville’s first Potbelly Sandwich Works is set to open May 5 in the Deerwood Village shopping center across from the Florida State College at Jacksonville campus.
It is the sandwich chain’s first Northeast Florida location.
A grand opening for the restaurant at 9908 Old Baymeadows Road is planned for May 16 with free Potbelly menu items for a year for the first 50 customers, according to an April 21 news release. There also will be chances to win prizes and Potbelly merchandise.
The city issued a permit Aug. 5, 2025, for Brothers Group Construction Co. of Jacksonville to renovate a 1,536-square-foot space for the restaurant at a project cost of $457,923. The site is a former Subway sandwich shop at Southside Boulevard and Baymeadows Road.
DXU Architects of Chicago was the architect. Plans show 26 seats inside and four outdoors.
Potbelly in Deerwood Village is owned and operated by franchisee Patrick Prendergast of Gold & Green Management LLC of Ponte Vedra, who has a longtime relationship with the brand. His first job was working at a Potbelly in Chicago. He went on to have a career in sales and business development.
Today, he and his business partner and spouse, Leah, plan to open seven Potbelly shops in Northeast Florida, the release said.
“Opening the first Potbelly shop in Jacksonville is truly a full-circle moment for me,” Prendergast said in the release.
“When my wife and I moved to Jacksonville, we immediately felt the strong sense of community and knew it was an ideal place to bring a brand that is rooted in warmth and connection. We’re looking forward to creating a welcoming atmosphere in Deerwood, one where students and families can slow down, share a toasty meal and enjoy the good vibes.”
Peter Hastings founded Potbelly in 1977 in Chicago, selling sandwiches out of his antique store. The restaurant is named after a 19th-century potbelly stove that was in his store.
Most locations have retained the look of an antique store, including having a potbelly stove on display.
In 1996, Bryant Keil bought the business and went national. Over 12 years, he grew the company from one store to 250. Today, there are more than 450 Potbelly locations, according to restaurantdive.com.
Potbelly was a publicly traded company from 2013 until the RaceTrac convenience store company bought the chain in October 2025.
Potbelly locations are both company-owned and franchised operations.
There are more than 10 in Florida with another 80 in development. They are planned for Jacksonville, Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers-Naples, Gainesville, Ocala, Panama City Beach, Sarasota-Bradenton, Tampa and West Palm Beach.
Potbelly’s menu includes hot sandwiches, wraps, salads and hand-scooped shakes. The shop does takeout by phone or via its app, as well as catering.
It will be open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.