East Coast sandwich chain adds another Colorado Springs location, eyes at least 3 more

Rich Laden, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Updated ·3 min read

Apr. 10—Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, a national chain with East Coast roots that expanded to Colorado Springs nearly 1 1/2 years ago, has added a second store on the city's northeast side and plans at least three more locations through 2024.

Known for its Thanksgiving-style sandwich called the "Bobbie," which combines freshly roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo, Capriotti's opened last week in the Barnes Marketplace shopping center, northeast of Powers Boulevard and Barnes Road.

Husband-and-wife franchisees Ron and Christen Sanders, who brought Capriotti's to town, say they also plan to open a third location this summer in the InterQuest Marketplace retail complex, east of Interstate 25 and InterQuest Parkway.

The Sanderses debuted Capriotti's in Colorado Springs in December 2021 at the Creekwalk shopping center, northwest of Nevada Avenue and Cheyenne Road on the city's south side.

The shop did well out of the gate, setting an opening-day sales record for all Capriotti's franchisees and ranking No. 1 in sales last year among six Capriotti's in the state, Christen Sanders said.

In the Springs, it's drawn customers who remember the brand from living back east, she said.

"The amount of people that are in the Colorado Springs area that are originally from Delaware or the East Coast and grew up with the chain has been completely unexpected to the point where I told them they need to start a Facebook group because there are so many of them," Sanders said.

At the same time, Capriotti's is now based in Las Vegas, and local residents who've visited that city also have become familiar with the concept and embraced its food, she said.

The Sanderses also were a food vendor at Air Force Academy football games, which helped elevate the brand, Christen said. Ron is an Air Force Academy graduate.

In addition to the Bobbie, the Capriotti's menu has other varieties of turkey subs, along with American Wagyu roast beef, meatball, Italian, pastrami, cheesesteak and tuna sandwiches, among others. Soups and salads also are on the menu.

Like the Creekwalk location, the Capriotti's store at Powers and Barnes will roast turkeys on site to produce meat for sandwiches, Christen Sanders said.

The new location, along with the InterQuest Marketplace store to open this summer, also will have a new menu item: french fries. They're being added by all new Capriotti's restaurants and require frying equipment, Christen Sanders said. The location at Creekwalk, however, doesn't have room for the equipment and can't add fries, she said.

As franchisees, the Sanderses originally contracted to open three Capriotti's locations in El Paso County, Christen said.

But since business has gone well, and after other potential franchisees inquired with the Capriotti's corporate office about operating in the area, the Sanderses were given an opportunity by the chain to expand their presence in the county beyond their initial three stores.

As a result, they now plan fourth and fifth locations in 2024 and are scouting sites, Christen Sanders said.

One of those locations could be at the new Air Force Academy visitor's center; the couple have signed a letter of intent to locate there, though they haven't yet signed a lease, she said.

In addition, the Sanderers could add sixth and seventh locations down the road, she said.