Updating the story that we last updated in our May 28 New Tampa issue, despite some other recent published reports that said that Potbelly Sandwich Works was getting ready to announce an opening date in the former Oronzo Honest Italian space in The Walk at Highwoods Preserve plaza on BBD, I can assure you that the earliest the popular sandwich shop with more than 425 locations across the U.S. is still at least several months away from being able to open here.
Yes, Ron Asmar, the president of RTA Restaurant Group, LLC, has added four additional Potbelly locations to his commitment, with the New Tampa shop expected to open in “late spring/ summer” of this year, but based on what I’ve seen inside (right photo above, taken July 11), and what the person working inside said, there is little chance the new Potbelly will be open before the fourth quarter of 2024, and could even take until the start of 2025.
That is bad news for the multiple people I’ve seen since our last story ran two months ago, who told me they love Potbelly’s “Hot Sandwiches (and soups) and Chill Vibes,” as well as for anyone in our area (like me) who is always on the lookout for new places, even if they are national chains.
As I also said in May, feel free to visit the location at 4738 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. (near Raymond James Stadium) or the one at 2520 S. Falkenburg Rd. (near Brandon) for the Chicago-based chain’s “famous toasty sandwiches, soups, salads, fresh-baked cookies and hand-spun milkshakes.” — GN