'Love at first bite': Pair of PM West grads opening first PrimoHoagies in the Poconos

Two locals, both graduates of Pocono Mountain West High School, have partnered in life and now in business as they ready for the opening of the very first PrimoHoagies franchise in Monroe County.

Dana and Ronnie Besser will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at their first store on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 9:45 a.m. and offer free Primo Size Hoagies to the first 100 customers in line.

For the remainder of the day, customers who enroll in the rewards program can get Primo Size Hoagies for $6.99. (Text “Primo” to 484-270-4000 or visit primohoagies.com/rewards.)

The 1,800-square-foot store will offer dine-in seating, takeout, delivery options and catering trays. It is located in the Tannersville Plaza at 2836 Route 611, also known as the Weis Market Plaza.

PrimoHoagies originated in South Philadelphia in 1992 and is now a franchise with locations in nine states. "Using recipes passed down through the generations for its iconic hoagies, PrimoHoagies layers Thumann’s gourmet meats and cheeses, a secret blend of spices, and locally sourced, fresh vegetables onto award-winning, seeded rolls that are baked fresh throughout the day," the chain says.

Originally from Brooklyn and Staten Island, respectively, Dana and Ronnie have lived in the Poconos for more than two decades. They graduated in Pocono Mountain West High School's Class of 2005 together and Dana went on to graduate from East Stroudsburg University.

Dana first tried PrimoHoagies while working in Allentown, "and it took me back to a place in Brooklyn where you go to the corner deli and the lettuce is sliced really thin and the bread is really soft and the meats are just sensational," she said. "It was delicious. I made my husband try them and he was instantly obsessed. So it was like love at first bite."

Besser said when the opportunity arose to open a PrimoHoagies close to home, they jumped on it. “We know a lot of the residents here that moved from New York and Philly would feel the same way about these hoagies."

PrimoHoagies won No. 1 Best Sandwich or Sub Shop in the 2023 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

The store will be in the Weis Plaza off Route 611, "which is a high traffic tourist area that is thriving," Besser said. "We are close to Kalahari, Camelback Ski Mountain, the Pocono Premium Outlets, the St. Luke's hospital expanding down the road and all the LVHN locations nearby. We're just so excited because the area is highly deserving of a PrimoHoagies. Most people have heard of them and will want to come in and buy them. And if they haven't, once they try them, I'm convinced they'll be hooked."

The menu includes cold and hot hoagies, cheesesteaks, wraps, vegetarian options, antipasti salads, chips, drinks, fresh-baked cookies and more.

Besser said the menu includes offerings for gluten-free or vegan diets, such as specialty salads, gluten-free hoagie bowls and Nonna's Veggies—hoagie served with eggplant, sharp provolone with broccoli rabe and roasted red peppers—for vegans, among many other offerings.

PrimoHoagies will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is expected to employ about 15 people, including Dana Besser working full-time at the business.

Besser shared that the business comes as a blessing ahead of their Christmas holiday. "It's been a lot of trial and error with this business being three years in the making. We've been through tons of ups and more downs, as Ronnie commutes to the city and I have epilepsy … really, a true test of our grit. So, we feel like this is our moment now and we are just so happy that it is finally here and we get to share it with everyone.

"Come in, grab a hoagie or take a tray home for your family, they will be so grateful."

Maria Francis covers K-12 education and real estate, housing and development for the Pocono Record. Reach her at mfrancis@poconorecord.com.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: PrimoHoagies to open first Poconos location in Tannersville