Shorty’s Subs aims to bring better dining options to the Kent area

David Enricco and Kevin Haasz, co-owners of Shorty’s Subs and Salads, didn’t like the sub options in the area. Instead of complaining, they decided to act. Cue the opening of Shorty’s Subs about a month ago.

Enricco said Shorty’s high-quality ingredients make all the difference between their subs and other local options.

“We did our research to make things top notch and the best-of-the-best,” he said.

All of the deli meats at Shorty’s Subs area come from Boar’s Head Meats, a New York distributor of deli meats.

“It’s just great stuff,” Enricco said. “You don’t see a lot of sub shops (offering) that because it is very expensive.”

The store also offers custom-baked bread from Orlando Breads in Cleveland. Guests can choose to have their subs on either white or wheat.

The process of ordering a sub at Shorty’s is similar to that of Quiznos or Subway. Guests walk up to the counter and tell the sandwich maker what they’d like. After cutting the roll in half, the submaker places the customer’s choice of meat, cheese and condiments on it.

Customers can choose more traditional sauces such as mayonnaise or Italian dressing, among others. They also can opt to try Shorty’s signature cheese sauce.

After the condiments are added to the sub roll, the customer’s choice of sliced meat is then placed on the roll. For those who don’t eat meat, the shop offers a Three Cheese Sub that comes with American, Provolone and Cheddar cheeses. It also has a vegetarian sub, which is made up of baby spinach, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, red peppers, black olives and Swiss cheese.

From there, the customers can add their choice of toppings to the sub. After the sub is made, it is placed on a conveyer belt. They come out oven-toasted, like Quiznos’ subs.

Besides subs, the shop also offers a few salad options, as well as a selection of specialty coffee. Enricco recommended customers try the Dirty’s potato chips.

The subs at Shorty’s are slightly pricey, with half an Oven Gold Turkey sandwich and a small fountain drink costing a total of $8.02 (tax included).

For the cash-strapped college student, $5 coupons for a gourmet sub are available at www.kentcampuscash.com.

Contact all reporter Kristen Kotz at [email protected].