A Cleveland-born sandwich chain known for classic rock decor and an Italian house sauce is set to open its doors in Clifton sometime between September 15 and September 20, at 165 West McMillan Street near the University of Cincinnati campus. Dave's Cosmic Subs will occupy a storefront steps from The Verge apartments and Taco Lab, aiming its opening squarely at the dense student population that surrounds UC's campus edge.
The Clifton shop marks one of several moves the chain is making to expand beyond its Northeast Ohio roots, according to The News Record. Dave's Cosmic Subs currently has around 25 locations, and James Yashnyk said the company hopes to bring Cleveland culture to Cincinnati as it grows. Yashnyk told the outlet Clifton was one of the good spots selected near Cincinnati, and he's already eyeing a third Cincinnati-area location, with West Chester and Mason both under consideration. A second regional location is planned for Blue Ash in October.
From Chagrin Falls Garage Band Roots to Regional Chain
Dave's Cosmic Subs traces its origins to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, where musician and actor Dave Lombardy founded the shop in 1997, building 1960s rock-inspired sub recipes out of memories of late-night meals with his father, according to Cleveland Scene. Lombardy, a former lead singer for the band Foreplay, built the brand's identity around classic rock, psychedelic art, and lingo like “groovy.” Shaker Heights-based private equity firm Sidhu Realty Capital bought the entire brand from Dave and Maryann Lombardy in 2022, five years after CEO Paul Sidhu opened his first franchise store in Oberlin, the outlet reports.
Under the new ownership, leadership trimmed the menu from more than 30 sub options down to 22 core items and rolled out digital point-of-sale systems and a mobile ordering app, per the same account. Store counts had remained largely stagnant around 20 units for over a decade before the acquisition. Now the company has set a goal of adding 30 corporate-owned stores over three years and reaching 50 total locations by 2028, according to WhatNow — though Yashnyk told The News Record he's aiming even higher, hoping to grow the chain to 100 stores over the next five years.
A Cleveland-to-Carolinas Expansion Trail
Expansion under Chief Strategy Officer Jim Yashnyk is following a geographic trail designed to connect Cleveland through Cincinnati and into Tennessee and the Carolinas, WhatNow reports. Yashnyk and Sidhu Realty Capital were the brand's largest franchisees before buying the company outright. Newer store designs also scale back the vintage rock memorabilia in favor of white subway tile and heritage murals, while expanding plant-based offerings, including vegan meatball subs; the chain now offers seven dedicated vegan sub varieties, per WhatNow.
Despite the modernization, the chain still leans on its Chagrin Falls-era signatures. The menu includes Dave's Best Meatball Ever, an award-winning meatball sub, and the Original, built with Italian bread, Genoa salami, ham, pepperoni, cheese and vegetables, according to The News Record. Sandwiches are constructed with bread formed into a distinctive V shape, and the chain differentiates itself through sandwich construction and food quality, using premium meats and cheeses rather than cheap-quality ingredients. Dave's Psychedelic Sauce, an Italian concoction unique to the brand, remains on every table.
Competing for Attention on a Crowded Strip
The Clifton shop enters a McMillan Street commercial corridor already crowded with sandwich competition, joining DiBella's Subs, Penn Station and Cincy Steak and Lemonade, per The News Record. It will also operate in the same suite at 165 W. McMillan St. that previously housed Texas-based chain Fuzzy's Taco Shop, which opened at the property in May 2019 before shutting down, as Hoodline reported at the time.
The Clifton dining scene near campus has seen more turnover since then. Local sandwich spot Good Plates Eatery, well known for serving community holiday meals, closed after six years in July. Whether Dave's Cosmic Subs can succeed where both a national chain and a beloved local shop have struggled remains an open question for the Clifton market.
Students Weigh In on the New Arrival
Some UC students are optimistic about what the new shop could offer. McKenna Heider, a third-year psychology major at the University of Cincinnati, told The News Record that Dave's Cosmic Subs offers adventurous options and something for every taste. Zane Sawyer, a second-year geography major at UC, said the late evening hours, the location and the customizable menu could all help the shop find success in Clifton.
The Clifton location is set to operate from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, though those hours are subject to change based on traffic and business after opening, according to The News Record. The storefront sits within the CUF neighborhood, a stretch of West McMillan Street that receives joint law enforcement coverage from Cincinnati Police District 5 and UC Police, as Hoodline has previously reported on the heavy foot-traffic commercial strip bordering both city and university property.
