Blimpie

It’s no surprise that a submarine sandwich can get a teenage boy motivated. But for friends Tony Conza, Peter DeCarlo, and Angelo Baldassare, fresh sandwiches sated not just their growing appetites, but their entrepreneurial dreams. After failed business attempts selling pots and pans door to door and trading stocks on Wall Street, the three heard of a bustling shop in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, where sandwiches piled with freshly sliced deli meats and crisp vegetables had locals lining up out the door. With a similar business model in mind, the three opened their own shop in 1964, naming it Blimpie to evoke the blimp-like shape they planned for their overstuffed sandwiches.

Now a national chain, Blimpie stays true to the founders' original dream as staffers continue to stack sandwiches with freshly sliced meats, veggies, and dressings. Turkey, smoked pastrami, top-round roast beef, and crisp bacon crown freshly baked rolls or soft tortillas. Each of Blimpie’s stores brims with Americana-themed décor, paying homage to the company’s founders, their slice of the American dream, and the submarine sandwich that is emblazoned on every five-dollar bill.