The SUBWAY on the corner opens in Mayville | Mayville - Portland, North Dakota

The SUBWAY on the corner opens in Mayville

DeDe Amb still has the bread oven that she started her Subway franchise with 14 years ago. Subway opened March 4, 2020 at its new location in Mayville.

“All I’ve ever had to replace on that oven is a switch or a bulb,” Amb told the Tribune. “We’ve baked from 850,000 to 900,000 sandwich loaves in that oven.”

“I no longer eat bread, yet I own a sandwich shop,” DeDe says with a laugh.

The reason for the move to the new location was simple: Amb wanted a drive-thru. Her husband, Parnell, returned from a visit to Grand Forks to see the circus with two of the couple’s granddaughters.

“He went through the drive-thru at McDonalds, came home and said, ‘We need a drive-thru.’ After that, we would sit near a drive-thru and I noticed

De De Amb

DeDe Amb is the owner of the Subway that opened March 4 in Mayville at the junction of Center Avenue and Third Street South.

all the people were on their phones with the baby-sitter or reviewing a grocery list. They took care of a lot of business while waiting in line. Suddenly, it all made sense.”

The Ambs purchased the building and lot of the former Stormy’s from Rick Nepstad.

DeDe said,“ We were fully aware of what was needed” of the location, which has sat dormant for years. Aside from general contract work from Jeff’s Electric and Ness Plumbing, Parnell and their son, Kyle, as well as Ryan Nygord have replaced the floor, walls and ceiling tiles, connected the drive-thru kiosk, and leveled the drive-thru and patio areas.

“The patio was a step down from the ground level and the floor was spongy,” DeDe said. “Two-by-fours underneath had totally rot- ted from moisture and there were no footings beneath the entries.”

Now, DeDe can “touch on” the new amenities at Subway. The drive-through kiosk is a touchscreen with vocal commands, “One of the best ideas we’ve had,” DeDe says.

The menu is at the customers’ reach. With a touch of the screen, they can choose their bread, meats, veggies and condiments. Want more of something? Just touch the screen.

Drive-through customers will pay at the drive- through window when picking up their order as the kiosk credit card usage is a feature coming soon.

Inside Subway is a “Coke freestyle” machine, where customers can mix cherry, lemon, lime, orange and vanilla flavorings into their cola, “Supposedly 80 varieties,” Parnell notes.

With the glow of the Subway arrowed-S on the wall, customers will be served by 11 full- and part-time employees. There’s seating for 32 and the four booths inside have charging portals for cell phones plus Wi-Fi access.

“We’re very anxious for summer for people to sit out on the patio and eat,” DeDe says.

The punch list of items to finish has included a scratch in one of the menu boards plus something every dine- in restaurant encounters and handles with a little whimsy.

“Parnell, this table wobbles,” DeDe says.

“Maybe the floor needs to self-level,” quips Parnell. “We’ll turn the table around.”

DeDe also smiles at the thought of having to walk across the street, albeit an occasionally busy Highway 200, to do business at the bank. Asked if she’d like to own multiple Subway franchises, she smiles, “I own one. That’s enough.”

Thanks to the Traill County Tribune for the use of this article which is from the Matrch 7, 2020 issue by James R. Johnson.

701-788-2166
Mayville City Auditor

701-788-2463
Portland City Auditor