Stan’s Super Subs has been a staple in Bonita Springs for 50 years. Take one bite of one of their “super” subs and you’ll begin to understand why. You might still wonder- “How does a sandwich shop stay so successful for so long?” It isn’t just their perfectly soft rolls, freshly sliced cold cuts, and crispy toppings. There is a lot more to this little sub shop than meets the eye.

We had the opportunity to speak with the current owners, and long-time Bonitians, about the super-interesting story behind Stan’s Super Subs.

The Start of Stan’s

Stan’s Super Subs opened its doors in 1972 by a man named… Harry. At the time, the joke was that nobody wanted a “hairy sub,” so Harry decided to name the shop after his uncle’s sub shop in New Jersey! The original storefront sat across the street but moved to its current location just a few years after it opened. Harry’s homemade subs quickly gained popularity among local Bonitians. He operated the business, with his wife Jo, until he passed in 2003.

After Harry passed, the business passed through three owners until it finally fell into the hands of some locals that truly love Stan’s, and Bonita Springs.

The Sattler’s Story

Thomas and Heather Sattler bought Stan’s Super Subs in February and reopened its doors on March 14, 2020. If that date sounds familiar to you, that is because it is the day SWFL shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Sattlers decided that there was no way that they could let Stan’s legacy slip away. “We had heard it was closing and decided that we couldn’t let another place, that meant so much to so many of us and our friends, go under. This was a place that my wife and I had been going to all of our lives,” said Thomas.

Thomas and Heather’s roots run deep in Bonita Springs. Thomas’ grandparents were born in Estero. Believe it or not, his grandfather was born on Mound Key in Estero Bay! The couple moved to Bonita Springs together after WWII. Thomas was raised next to what is now the band shell in Riverside Park, back when it was a baseball field.

Heather’s parents owned and operated the Whales Tail, an old Bonita bar that once stood where Johnny Malloys is now. Jo and Harry, the original owners of Stan’s Suber Subs, met at this bar in the ’70s.

Saving Stan’s Super Subs

Thomas and Heather grew up on Stan’s Super Subs and strive to keep the legacy going. “It really has been very rewarding to have helped keep a little bit of small-town Bonita alive,” says Thomas.

The new owners even keep in contact with Jo, Harry’s widow, who has given them guidance on how they used to run the business. She has even advised their portion sizes, so they can make their subs as close to the originals as possible. If you know Stan’s Subs, you know that they serve them up hearty!

 

Though the Sattlers do their best to keep Stan’s operating as it did 50 years ago, they have added a few of their own ideas into the mix. The pair started the “Name of the Day” and Birthday sub-tradition where guests receive a free six-inch sub of their choice when their name is randomly selected and on their birthday! (Be sure to like their Facebook page for your chance at a free sub!)

We are happy to see this little piece of Bonita Springs history still operating the way it did 50 years ago, with no plans on changing.

In a world full of Subways- Be a Stan’s Suber Sub!

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