Port of Subs, the West Coast sandwich chain, is zeroing in on suburban Maryland, with plans to plant its first Greater Washington shop in Laurel. The local push is being led by Bryan Denson, a retired Air Force intelligence officer turned franchisee who briefly courted an Arlington site before backing away.
According to Washington Business Journal, Denson now intends to debut Port of Subs in Laurel after initially selecting an Arlington location and then reconsidering. The outlet notes his military intelligence background and frames the pivot as a shift in his real estate strategy, adding that no firm opening date has been set.
70-Store Regional Deal Underpins the Move
Denson’s Laurel plans are part of a 70-store regional development agreement announced in November 2024, in a press release carried by Franchising.com. That announcement pegged Arlington, Frederick and National Harbor as target markets, and quoted Denson saying, “I’m looking forward to bringing these new locations to Washington, D.C.”
Chain Builds East
The Laurel outpost is the latest sign of Port of Subs’ eastward creep from its West Coast roots. The Spokesman-Review reported that the chain opened a Spokane location in February 2026, and industry coverage has flagged a Seattle–Tacoma airport opening slated for spring 2026.
So far, neither Denson nor Port of Subs has committed publicly to an opening date for the Laurel shop. Earlier company materials tied to the 2024 development pact had circled May 2025 as an initial target. Per Franchising.com, Denson once aimed to open the first local outlet in Arlington by May 2025, but Washington Business Journal reports that the planned debut location has since shifted to Laurel.
