After hanging up his catcher’s mitt last year and retiring from professional baseball for the Seattle Mariners franchise, Jason Jaramillo looked for an opportunity for the next phase of his life. He found it with Firehouse Subs.
Jaramillo, who lives in Caledonia, wanted to buy into a franchise that would allow him to give back to the community and offer great products. When his former teammate and friend Josh Fields told him about Firehouse Subs, a franchise that encourages customers to make donations that help buy public safety equipment through its foundation, he was hooked.
Jaramillo owns the franchise rights for Firehouse Subs for Mount Pleasant, Kenosha, and Oak Creek. The restaurant at 6012 Washington Avenue will open Tuesday. Like many of the Jaramillo businesses — brothers Jason and Lee own Forceout Baseball Gloves and run the Forceout Baseball Camp — this one is about family.
Iram Cruz, Jaramillo’s uncle, will run the day-to-day operation at the sub shop while Jaramillo will run the catering side of the business. Lee owns the 7,000 square-foot building that houses Firehouse Subs, Dickey’s Barbeque Pit and Polished Nail salon.
“My brother built this awesome building for me and my dad helped by knocking down the oil change business that had been on this property,” Jason said. “But this concept just really made sense since our brother Frank (Jr.) is a police officer for the Mount Pleasant Police Department.”
On the wall of the business hangs a mural of their father Frank Sr., Cruz, and Jason with a South Shore Fire Department fire engine in front of the Wind Point Lighthouse.
“We’ll be working with area fire departments and police departments to provide life-saving equipment,” Jason said. “So while we’re helping the community, we’ll also be offering great products.”
Firehouse Subs was started in 1994 by firemen.
“They stayed true to their purpose,” Cruz said. “They give back to the community by asking everyone to contribute to the Public Safety Foundation.”
Jason felt strongly that this would be a good fit.
“It is going to be a big change, but I’ll still stay true to wanting to run this business to the best of my ability,” he said. “I’m still very competitive in nature and I’m going to give it my all.”