SACO— Jersey Mike’s sandwich shop is celebrating its grand opening by donating all first day proceeds to a local food pantry.

The restaurant is opening at 507 Main St. (Route One) on Wednesday July 26, and donating 100 percent of the first day sales – not just profit- to the Saco Food Pantry, according to franchise owner Chris Brown.

"At Jersey Mike's, we have a saying: ‘Help nourish. Help flourish. Be a Sub Above,’" said Brown.

Brown said with recent inflation of food prices in an already challenging economic environment, the need for local businesses to provide community support is greater than ever.

“We can't thank the people of Saco enough for their warm welcome and hopefully together we can raise a substantial sum for a truly worthy and local cause,” he said.

The Saco Food Pantry, 67 Ocean Park Road has seen an increase in patrons since the temporary pandemic-era increases to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were discontinued in March, according to pantry volunteer John Reynolds.

He said the pantry was assisting about 220 families per month until March. It increased to about 340 families a month with 378 families in June, he said.

During the pandemic, the pantry was open to families who were residents of Saco. Now with food costs far outpacing donations, the pantry will begin on Sept. 1 to restrict services to Saco residents only. In July and August, it will continue to serve non-Saco residents who were previously clients.

 Last month, the cost to provide food was more than $20,000, said Reynolds. 

“We are so grateful to Jersey Mikes - I can’t begin to tell you,” he said.

Jersey Mike’s will be from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

Jersey Mike’s Subs, with more than 2,500 locations nationwide, serves fresh sliced and grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Since 2010, Jersey Mike’s locations throughout the country have raised more than $110 million for local charities. In 2023, the company’s 13th Annual Jersey Mike’s Month of Giving in March raised $21 million for more than 200 local charities.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.