Potbelly Sandwich Shop, a fast-casual eatery that serves up everything from PB&J to roast beef on bread, is coming to Las Vegas.
Casino owner and entrepreneur Eric Persson said the first two of 10 planned valley restaurants should open early next year — one at the 215 Beltway and Rainbow Boulevard and the other near the Costco on St. Rose Parkway in Henderson.
“This is food that’s a little healthier, and people feel a little better about it,” said Persson, a UNLV graduate and Las Vegas resident. “It’s definitely a growing area of the market. We think Potbelly is going to be part of that.”
Born out of an antique shop in Chicago in the 1970s, Potbelly has more than 400 locations worldwide. It is known for its wide array of sandwiches, soups, shakes, smoothies and original-recipe cookies.
“One of the things that separates Potbelly from a lot of the places in the fast-casual space is that it has entertainment,” Persson said. “We’ll have live entertainment a couple of days per week at our locations. These shops have a community feel. From breakfast until late at night — a minimum of 10 p.m. — Potbelly offers a lot of menu.”
Along with some other restaurant interests, Persson is co-founder and co-owner of Maverick Gaming, which has four casinos in Northern Nevada and about two dozen nationwide.
Persson, 45, is also planning to launch a chain of Dragon Tiger Noodle Co. restaurants in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Seattle. Three restaurants under construction in Las Vegas are expected to open in January, he said.
“We’re hoping to have 40 Dragon Tiger stores built in the next three years,” Persson said. “The Las Vegas economy is strong. It’s as strong as it has ever been. Labor is super-tight, so that’s the biggest challenge we have with these fast-casual brands.”