Capriotti's Sandwich Shop set for March 27 opening for Franklin Street location

Capriotti's Sandwich Shop is set to be the newest addition to downtown Chapel Hill, with a grand opening targeted for March 27 at 127 E. Franklin St.

The chain, which was originally founded in Delaware, sells sandwiches that feature its quality meats, cheeses, rolls and produce, according to its website. The location will be between Blue Horn Lounge and Cold Stone Creamery.

“I think it'll be nice to have something a little bit different,” Molly Warren, a junior at UNC, said. 

Capriotti’s, despite its meat-heavy signature sandwiches, has several vegetarian options and salads. Nicholas Adams, the general manager of the incoming Capriotti’s, said the restaurant will also serve fries and offer catering services.

A 10-inch sub at Capriotti’s costs over $12, though it may cost more depending on the ingredients. Price is a concern for some students, including Ales Carfaro, a first-year student at UNC, who said food on Franklin Street is not very affordable.

“I try to go there very sparingly,” Carfaro said. “Like, if I’m having a bad day, I will go to Epilogue but like, it's still pretty expensive. And so I'm not trying to be there all the time.”

The sandwich shop will be the latest addition to Franklin Street, following Map Dot and Marshall Goods, two stores that opened in October.

Annika Shi, a first-year student at UNC, said there are a variety of prices on Franklin Street, which helps with its affordability. She also said affordability and saturation play a part in the high turnover on Franklin Street. 

Carfaro said they see different causes for the frequent tenant changes.

“It's hard for businesses to stay there just because of things like higher rent or struggling to stay in trends,” they said.

The Capriotti’s is replacing a Waffle House, which permanently closed in 2020.

“I would love a Waffle House personally, but it's kind of nice to lean into providing more healthy food options for people,” Warren said. “I'm a nutrition major, so I always like when we can have balance and things, and I think that's not necessarily something you can get at a Waffle House.”

Adams said it is difficult to get through the periods of time when students are out of town, but he does not focus on that risk.

“We did hear a lot about turnover and things as such but honestly, I didn't want to get too much into it,” Adams said. “I'm just trying to do and be as positive as I can.”

The Franklin Street Capriotti’s was projected to open as early as the summer of 2022. Adams said construction and permitting are the reasons for the delay.

“I know it's been taking a while,” Adams said. “I don't think you know the half how long I've been waiting for that.”

Despite the lengthy construction process, Adams said Capriotti’s is prepared for the March 9 opening and that the restaurant has started training staff.

Adams added that the restaurant's hours are subject to change after the grand opening and could stretch later to attract some of the "night scene" on Franklin Street.

“But I didn't want to overwhelm everybody so soon, wanna just make sure we got our staff enough and you know, see how things go,” he said.

CLARIFICATION: This article contains an update estimate from the restaurant on its targeted opening date.

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