Modernized Subway reopens downtown

Patrons of the downtown Subway restaurant at Oak Avenue and Main Street will barely recognize it as being a Subway shop.

Avtar Singh Basra and his partner and district manager Matt Ackerman have created an entirely new restaurant, with the outside blending into the downtown decor while the inside is modern and very comfortable.

“It’s called Subway Metro,” said Ackerman of the store design. “It is more casual,” added Basra.

The completely rebuilt store is about the same size as the old store — 1,900 square feet, but the indoor dining area has been extended to the Main Street sidewalk. Inside, patrons will have the traditional booths and areas that are more comfortable. Those areas include a small sofa and lounge chairs and a smaller table. Basra said they will have WiFi available to patrons.

The dining area is more spacious and the high ceiling makes it easier to carry on a discussion without everyone hearing.

Basra also had his corporate office constructed above the restaurant. A longtime downtown businessman, Basra and his partner have five Subway stores in Porterville and a few more than that in Visalia.

The new building also includes another 1,000 square feet of space that they hope to lease.
Basra is pleased with the result.

“All these years I have been caring about the downtown image,” he said, adding he was glad his store front fits into the image of downtown.

Nearly everything about the restaurant is new. The restaurant will employ 10 to 12 people.

After a VIP reception Thursday night, the store opened to the public at 7 this morning.