Firehouse Subs is locking in space for a Poway debut, with the sandwich chain’s local operator planning a takeover of an H&R Block office and lining up a second San Diego outpost in Grantville. The Poway shop is slated for 13452 Poway Road, the suite currently occupied by H&R Block, and franchisee Ronisha Khanal told local reporters she hopes to open at the end of September 2026. An exact opening timeline for the planned Friars Road site in Grantville has not been confirmed.
As reported by WhatNow San Diego, plans for the Poway unit have been submitted to the County Department of Environmental Health and Quality and identify the current H&R Block space as the one to be converted into a restaurant. The outlet names Khanal as the franchise owner pursuing both locations and notes her September 2026 target for the Poway opening. WhatNow San Diego also reports that the Grantville storefront is aimed at Friars Road, though no firm opening date exists yet.
Where It Would Sit
The Poway address is in the Town & Country retail center, where commercial listings show 13452 as the H&R Block suite that would be repurposed for a restaurant. Site plans from RI Retail list neighbors such as Starbucks and ALDI, suggesting the new sandwich shop would join an already busy lunch and errand corridor. H&R Block’s own directory lists an office at 13452 Poway Road, indicating the space will need a tenant improvement and local approvals before it reopens under a new banner.
Why Now: Incentives And Ownership
The planned openings come as Firehouse Subs has been stepping up development support for franchisees. The brand rolled out a program this spring that offers cash bonuses for operators who open multiple locations through 2028, according to Firehouse Subs. The incentives are meant to speed multi unit growth and help qualified operators move faster on leases and buildouts. Firehouse Subs’ national expansion is also backed by Restaurant Brands International, which completed its acquisition of the chain in late 2021, according to SEC filings.
Community Tie
Firehouse Subs leans heavily on its Public Safety Foundation, which directs restaurant fundraising and corporate donations into equipment grants and training for first responders, according to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The foundation’s grant work is a recurring talking point for franchisees pitching sites to local officials and neighborhood groups. Khanal told WhatNow San Diego that bringing that grant pipeline to Poway and Grantville helped motivate her expansion plans.
Next steps for the projects include completing permit reviews, lining up tenant improvement work and hiring staff ahead of the target September 2026 opening in Poway. Local filings and approvals will determine how quickly both locations move from plans to toasty subs on the line.
