Joshua Knopp / Staff Writer
A new Subway franchise is opening in the historic Texas Building in Denton Square on the corner of Oak and Locust, despite large community backlash against a nonlocal chain coming into the Square.
Out of the 10 current Subway locations in Denton, the closest to Locust St. is 1.2 miles.
Project manager Phillip Curran said when the building was remodeled in 2012, more room was available and the owners decided to lease that space to restaurants. Curran said it was first-come, first-serve.
“It’s going to be a standard Subway, just on the Square,” he said. “There’s not many sandwich shops up there.”
UNT students seemed to disagree.
“I don’t see the need, we’ve got a Subway down the street,” said pre-English junior Sean Enfield. “The square, to me, is Recycled, J&J’s and the Mini Mall. It’s counter to the aesthetic.”
Public affairs and community service freshman Hannah Luxenberg, who has lived in Denton her whole life, said staying local was important.
“I’m not really for the chain thing,” she said. “I think Denton is for local foods.”
Denton residents have largely condemned the new Subway on social media. City Council member Kevin Roden said on his website he has received emails expressing disappointment in the development, with people primarily saying business in the Square should stay local.
Roden said he received 20 to 25 emails and messages through Twitter and Facebook last Monday, from people commenting on the Subway’s development.
He said several people are concerned because Subway represents a chain.
“I think a lot of people look at the downtown Square as a unique spot not just in Denton, but compared to other communities,” Roden said. “It has a hometown feel to it.”
Roden said several people had the misconception that city council wanted a Subway on the Square, but the area is open to whoever wants to use it.
“I wanted to get the point across that any store is welcome to come into any spot in Denton,” Roden said. “If people understood how businesses worked, they’d realize they didn’t have as much to complain about as they thought they had.”
Assigning Editor Marlene Gonzalez contributed to this report.