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Submarina plans to open 100 locations in Houston area

July 18, 2012

Submarina California Subs recently moved its corporate headquarters to Houston and area developer Robert Pina plans to open 100 locations in the area throughout the next five years.

The first of Pina's locations recently opened in Missouri City, Texas, with a second restaurant debuting in Tomball at the end of 2012. In addition to Pina's Submarina restaurants, another local franchisee is on track to open three stores by the end of the year.

"I'm very excited to debut Submarina in Texas," Pina said. "With such an excellent product, combined with my experience in the franchise industry, we expect a successful launch and a warm response from the Houston community. This area has enormous potential for expansion, and I will ensure that each franchisee has the support and resources needed to create their own successful restaurant launch across Texas."

In addition to launching the new Submarina locations, Pina owns 19 Wings 'N More locations in Texas and has previously been a franchisee for Subway and CiCi's Pizza. Before working in the restaurant industry, the Texas A&M alum was an engineer.

"(Pina) is an excellent addition to the Submarina family," said Bruce Rosenthal, president and CEO of Submarina. "He is a key component to our aggressive expansion plans and is a welcome addition to the strong leadership team that is helping build the Submarina name."

Submarina first opened its doors in 1977 outside San Diego. The company began franchising in 1988 and now includes 50 locations, primarily in Southern California, where it has more than 40 stores. Additional locations include Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Tennessee and Guam. More than 20 restaurants are projected to open across the country by the end of 2012.

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