Back In Business: Chatham Sandwich Shop Prepares To Reopen

CHATHAM, NJ — After a year of unintentionally disappointing hungry customers, the Chatham Sandwich Shop is poised to reopen after a fire closed their kitchens last February.

According to store employees, the shop is in the final stages of the renovation, with cabinet building, trim work, and equipment delivery planned for this week.

"Everyone is doing well and Joe Arminio, our owner, is there working every day with the crews to ensure completion," one employee told Patch.

The shop, which has been a part of the Chatham community for more than four decades, has been considered a staple of the local neighborhood, with residents waiting for the day doors will open once again while checking on the renovation progress.

The fire, which destroyed the interior and exterior of the 253 Main St. shop, started in the kitchen on an early Wednesday morning and was discovered by an employee who arrived to start their shift.

At around 7:30 a.m., the employee went into the backroom to prep for the day when they noticed smoke from the cooking area and saw that the fryer caught fire, according to authorities.

The fire was a devastating event for everyone in the community, but Arminio said he appreciates how everyone in the Chatham community came together to help that day. Immediately after the fire, the local community rallied to aid in the rebuilding effort, with a former employee even starting a GoFundMe to help offset costs.

In total, the campaign raised more than $43,000 for the company. All funds raised, according to the GoFundMe page, went to the sandwich shop's staff and workers, who were out of work for a time while they rebuilt.

"I want the Chatham community to know how appreciative and thankful I am for their continued support. Whether by social media, texts, and the people I see on the street. It has meant so much to me having the community rally behind us," Arminio said.

And that rally has led the shop to the cusp of reopening, with a general plan to open back up in the early spring.

"I'm here every day with the crews to ensure completion and I know it is not as fast as we had hoped, but we're all doing everything we can, and hope to be open in the upcoming weeks," Arminio said.

While many in Chatham are excited about the official opening date, none is more so than Arminio, who told Patch, "I can't wait to be slinging sandwiches instead of swinging hammers."