A planned Jersey Mike’s Subs location could be on the way to Belleview.
The sandwich shop hopes to locate in the Belleview Regional Shopping Center next to Dollar Tree, in a spot longtime residents may remember as the former home of a liquor store.
Jersey Mike’s is a national sandwich chain known for its made-to-order hot and cold subs sliced fresh behind the counter.
Before the project moves forward, franchise owner Jerry Lewicki asked city officials to reconsider a requirement that the business install a 750-gallon underground grease interceptor, a project he estimated would cost between $75,000 and $100,000, nearly one-fifth of the store’s total construction budget.
Lewicki told commissioners Jersey Mike’s operates much differently than a traditional restaurant. While the shop prepares both cold and hot sandwiches, he said it does not use commercial dishwashers, washes only limited food preparation items by hand and collects grease from its grill for disposal rather than washing it into the sewer system.
He also noted a recently opened Jersey Mike’s in Ocala was permitted to use a much smaller indoor grease trap instead of a large underground interceptor.
Commissioners responded by asking staff to review the city’s ordinance and explore whether it should better distinguish businesses such as coffee shops and sandwich shops from full-service restaurants that produce significantly more grease. Officials noted, however, that any revisions would still have to comply with Florida regulations governing wastewater systems.
If amended, the ordinance could provide more flexibility for businesses with limited food preparation while maintaining protections for the city’s sewer infrastructure.
