Some have never heard of it and some have been anticipating its arrival since the moment they saw the sign on the tiny building on Main Street.

Either way, Jimmy John’s is here.

The sub and sandwich shop has settled into the former location of Bomber’s and was off to a successful start when it first opened yesterday.

Manager Calvin Chambers said opening day was stressful, but business was good.

“Hopefully they will all come back,” he said about the new customers.

Alex Toth, senior criminal justice major, said she had never heard of Jimmy John’s before it came to Kent, but she is pleased with the arrival.

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“I saw this was coming and was anticipating it,” Toth said.

After stopping to check it out she said she was very impressed.

Tara Pryor, junior communications studies major, also enjoyed her first taste of the sandwich shop.

“They have a lot of different sandwiches to choose from,” she said, “and you can make them healthy.”

Carter Shaw, senior computer technology major, said he has been anxiously awaiting the opening of the restaurant since he heard it was coming to Kent.

Shaw said he had the chance to test out the shop at locations in other college towns.

“I’m a big fan,” he added.

The shop is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. It offers a variety of subs and sandwiches and delivers everything on the menu whenever it’s open.

Chambers said Jimmy John’s shops are usually located in college towns because it is a place oriented for a younger crowd and they have a lot of success with students especially.

“We deliver for them (the students), stay open late for them and are cheap for the most part,” Chambers said.

The store brought in a full crowd on the first day, which might prove to be competition for other nearby businesses.

Nick Parkinson, a manager at Europe Gyro, isn’t worried.

“Competition is a good thing,” he said. “We can’t just sit on our butts then.”

He added that even though Jimmy John’s delivers as well, it attracts a whole different crowd.

“It would be like Subway worrying about Pizza Hut,” Parkinson said.

Franklin Square Deli is down the street from the new Jimmy John’s. Deli manager Jill Wymer said competing with local businesses is always a challenge, but she believes the more a town has to offer, the better it is for everyone.

“We’ve been here a long time,” Wymer said. “I think we’ve tweaked the menu enough to know what people want.”

Contact public affairs reporter Tiffany Ciesicki at [email protected].