Patrick Prendergast says he earned his work ethic as a young teenager at Potbelly Sandwich Works in Chicago.
So when the opportunity arose, he and his wife, Leah Prendergast, bought the franchise to open seven Potbelly restaurants in Northeast Florida.
The first is scheduled to open March 24 in Deerwood Village followed by the second in June in Hodges Station.
He’s not stopping there with his Chicago roots.
The Prendergasts and business partner Bobby Knapp intend to open five Protein Bar & Kitchen locations in Northeast Florida, with possibly one Downtown.
That Chicago-based healthy meal chain’s menu includes bowls, burritos, salads and smoothies.
Prendergast is working with Stephanie McCullough and Annie O’Steen with SRS Real Estate Partners on site selections for both concepts.
He said Feb. 23 that “explosive growth” means more relocated residents to Northeast Florida who may be familiar with national chains new to the area.
Potbelly Sandwich Works
The Prendergasts’ first Potbelly Sandwich Works is scheduled to open at 9908 Old Baymeadows Road at southwest Baymeadows Road and Southside Boulevard in Deerwood Village. It replaces a Subway.
The city issued a permit in August for renovation of the 1,536-square-foot space at a project cost of almost $458,000. Prendergast said total costs were $1 million.
The second location is an almost 1,800-square-foot space at 13529 Beach Blvd., Unit 101, in Hodges Station at northwest Hodges and Beach Boulevards in Beach Haven. The shop replaces Rita’s Italian Ice.
A pending permit indicates a build-out cost of $600,000, with Prendergast estimating the total at $900,000.
The Prendergasts are looking for five more sites within the next four years in areas that include Durbin, Mandarin and Orange Park.
“We want to make it as accessible as possible without seeing one on every corner,” Patrick Prendergast said. The strategy creates demand but ensures “we can cater to as many businesses, schools and families as we can.”
Potbelly operates 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Prendergast said his first job in Chicago was at the age of 14 with permission from his parents to work at Potbelly.
“They were thrilled with the idea of me wanting to work. I was a very rambunctious teenager and needed a place like Potbelly to channel it all with guidance and structure,” he said.
“I fell in love with the brand and credit my work ethic and discipline to my days at Potbelly.”
Prendergast said Potbelly is known for its toasted sandwiches along with hand-dipped shakes, smoothies, soups and other menu items.
Potbelly’s at least 20 sandwich varieties include prime rib steak, chicken salad, grilled cheese, veggie melt and “A Wreck” of turkey, ham, roast beef, salami and Swiss cheese.
Prendergast had been in corporate sales for 14 years. With a now 6-year-old son, and the relocation to Nocatee, he signed up with Potbelly when he learned of the franchise opportunity.
“I knew it would be well received in the Jacksonville market,” he said.
He said other sub chains have serving methods that include steaming, heating and room temperature, while the toasting system at Potbelly differentiates it.
The Prendergasts own the franchise through Gold & Green Management LLC, formed in February 2024.
With more than 450 locations in 30 states, including 16 shops in Florida, Potbelly likely is recognized by many prospective customers, Prendergast said.
Atlanta-based RaceTrac Inc. bought Potbelly in October 2025 for $566 million with the continued focus on reaching 2,000 units over time.
And there is a potbelly stove in the shops to pay homage to the original location, founded in 1977 in a Chicago antique shop.
Protein Bar & Kitchen
Patrick Prendergast said he and Knapp recently finalized their development agreement with Protein Bar & Kitchen.
“We were really just looking for something that is new and unique and fun and really offered a different type of fast-casual experience,” he said.
“Our focus on that is to have a place that has zero bad choices. You can go there and pick what you want. You know you just had a nutritious, delicious, health-packed meal.”
Protein Bar & Kitchen says on theproteinbar.com that it opened a small Chicago storefront in 2009 with idea of “instead of fast food, we’d serve fast fuel: shakes that were delicious, nutritious, and protein-packed.”
The menu includes breakfast scrambles and burritos; lunch and dinner bowls, burritos and chili; salads and wraps; protein shakes, smoothies, smoothie bowls and parfaits; coffee and lattes; and a kids menu.
A menu example is the miso salmon bowl comprising brown rice, sustainable salmon, roasted sweet potato, braised kale, roasted broccoli, onion crispies and Bitchin’ Sauce, an almond-based dip.
The chicken chili bowl features quinoa blend, classic chicken chili, Greek yogurt, cheddar and green onion.
Now with 15 locations, Protein Bar & Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it caters.
Prendergast said the restaurant size is 1,500 to 2,000 square feet. Protein Bar & Kitchen needs no grills or fryers, so the build-out is relatively simple.
The Prendergasts and Knapp, through PBK Group LLC formed in January 2026, hope to have the five Protein Bar & Kitchen locations open over the next four years and the first open by September.
They are targeting locations such as Downtown, Durbin Park, Gate Parkway, Jacksonville Beach and Seven Pines.
A Downtown location could capitalize on corporate and school catering, Prendergast said.
Prendergast said Protein Kitchen has been in business for more than 15 years and continues to see substantial growth.
Locations so far include four airports, including O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and LaGuardia Airport in Chicago, which familiarizes travelers with the brand.
Founders Table Restaurant Group, the parent of Chopt and Dos Toros, announced Jan. 15 it bought Protein Bar & Kitchen. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.
QSRMagazine.com reported that Protein Bar hopes to accelerate growth through a recently launched franchising program to expand into Indianapolis, suburban Chicago, and other markets throughout 2026. The chain has 30 franchised and licensed locations in development.
Why Jacksonville
Prendergast said he and his family moved from Chicago to Nocatee in 2021 after COVID took a toll.
As a nurse, Leah Prendergast was in high demand in the Windy City.
Patrick Prendergast experienced another side of COVID. He said he lost hearing in one ear after a second immunization.
With Leah’s mother living in Palm Valley, and Patrick’s health care providers telling him high wind and cold weather exacerbated the ringing in his ear, they chose to relocate to Nocatee.
Prendergast said he retired from corporate sales and focused on other opportunities, including the restaurant franchises and in 2021 starting T.A.G. Golf Co., which makes private-label golf supplies, towels and apparel.
Leah Prendergast continues her nursing career with Mayo Clinic in Florida.
He said Nocatee provided a family environment.
“With the little one we had, it makes sense,” he said.
As a relocated resident, Prendergast understands that the expanding population in Northeast Florida means more customers are looking for new restaurant concepts.
“Jacksonville 10 years ago is far from Jacksonville today. It’s a completely different market, just in terms of transplants,” Prendergast said.
“There are so many people moving in and so many developments being built and new schools,” he said, adding that vacant land a decade ago now could house “a thriving neighborhood with thousands of families.”
He said the strategy is to secure the sites for Potbelly and Protein Kitchen before out-of-town competitors arrive.
“Once they hear we are coming, they will want to put a flag in the dirt,” Prendergast said.
Established retailers often have their expansion plans in place, he said.
“It’s the new players coming in that are trying to get a piece of the pie”