Just over a year ago, John and Kirstin Freeman took the plunge. They both had been working in the construction industry, and they decided to act on a long-held dream and go into business on their own. On Jan. 14, 2023, they opened The Sandwich Spot in the Stratford Plaza at 12th Street and Glendale Avenue. It may seem like a radical turn from construction to culinary, but for John Freeman, it was a natural transition. He had left construction to be a full-time caretaker for his grandfather, and 18 months later, after his grandfather passed away, he went to culinary school. “I’ve always been able to cook,” John said. “I wanted to learn the technical side.” He went to the Cordon Bleu in Los Angeles, then moved to Arizona only to discover that Cordon Bleu was closing. John didn’t let that deter him from his dream and ultimately found the Arizona Culinary Institute in Scottsdale. While at ACI, John worked hard to learn and perfect his skills. He graduated with honors and perfect attendance and was able to be a part of the Roca Brothers tour through America.
John became a chef, but he and his wife never got to see each other. He was working nights and weekends, and she had a day job — still does — as an accounts receivable manager in the construction industry.
Over the last several years, John has toyed with the idea of opening a bakery or possibly a bed & breakfast. In March 2022, while looking at a potential bakery location, it hit him….he had talked about opening The Sandwich Spot on and off for over ten years. There was always a reason not to do it….fear, money, time, just to name a few. We finally just decided, ‘Let’s jump in. The only way we’re going to do it is to take the risk.’ We knew The Sandwich Spot was tried and true. We loved it, and we really wanted to bring it here to Arizona. “We looked at several locations,” John said. “This one came up as an asset sale on BizBuySellTM (an internet marketplace for businesses).” The owner had developed a to-go food shop and was nearly ready to open when medical issues halted her plans. “We knew how we could make it work,” John said. The Freemans took over the shop, plus the space next door, and took down a wall to double the area and make room for on-site dining. Kirstin works at the shop on weekends, managing the accounts, staffing, scheduling, and other back-end duties. John runs the day-to-day operations, developing new items to add to the menu. Kirstin is also responsible for the décor, including her full-wall painting with a desert sunset theme.
The Sandwich Spot is a licensed operation, not a franchise. With a franchise, there is a corporate office. Everyone has to follow their rules, and you have to pay a portion of your sales to them; with a license, you don’t. Every location is independently owned and operated. Each store can choose its own theme. The first 24 sandwiches in every location are the same as far as ingredients, but the names are different for each store. We’re free to do what we want to after that ‘24 sandwiches,’ and add our own sandwiches, desserts, drinks, etc.” Customer favorites include the Grand Canyon with ham, salami, prosciutto, provolone, and Italian dressing. Other favorites include the Tombstone, with hot turkey, bacon, cheddar, and avocado; the Vortex, with hot turkey, bacon, avocado, cream cheese, and house-made Bomb Sauce (jalapeño ranch); and the Wiley Coyote (John’s favorite), with hot pastrami, roast beef, salami, Swiss cheese and psycho sauce (not hot just crazy good – blend of garlic olive oil, jalapeno ranch, bbq & teriyaki – a nice smoky, tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with the meats. “I like to put that on our Dutch crunch bread with all the veggies.”
One thing that sets this Sandwich Spot apart is John’s hands-on approach. When they started, the sauces were made from scratch, but other ingredients were purchased pre-made. Within the first two months, John and Kirstin started doing more things fresh, and it made such a difference. John makes the marinara for the meatball sandwich and cranberry sauce that goes on several sandwiches. He also makes a vegan pesto with sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts, along with balsamic and white wine vinegars, spices, olive oil, and basil. “We also make our hummus from scratch and a vegan patty,” Kirstin said. “We’re giving as many options as we can.” For dessert, John makes chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and cheesecake, including a “turtle” version with chocolate sauce, caramel, and nuts drizzled over the top….and his latest creations (chocolate mint cheesecake cups -or- lime, strawberry & blueberry cheesecake cups).
Our motto is ‘Love All Feed All.’ We do our best to always give love and share it with everybody, but what better way than through food?” Despite a couple of bumps in their year-long road — including hacking of their Google page and email that put a temporary hitch in online orders — their business is growing, Kirstin said, including catering for area businesses. And while details aren’t available at this time, the couple hopes to expand this year with a second location.
The Sandwich Spot, at 1219 E. Glendale Ave., is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday. For information, call 602-603-1515 or visit thesandwichspotphoenix.com.