Brothers Kyle and Jared Staples have opened the Coeur d’Alene area’s first Firehouse Subs restaurant.

Firehouse Subs is a Jacksonville, Fla.-based restaurant chain founded in 1994, which offers small, medium and large hot specialty subs, as well as an assortment of more than 50 complimentary hot sauces.

Jared Staples says the restaurant is a first for the brothers, who signed a multiunit franchise agreement to develop two restaurants in northern Idaho.

“I’d been working as a teacher, and Kyle was operating a Papa Murphy’s pizza location since our father retired,” he says. “We decided on Firehouse Subs because we love the food and we liked the idea of investing in a company that’s focused on giving back to the community.”

Staples says the brothers are leasing the 2,000-square-foot space at 1422 W. Appleway from Spokane-based GVD Commercial Properties Inc.

Staples says the restaurant currently has 30 employees and features outdoor patio seating.

The new restaurant is the second Firehouse Subs outlet to open in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area, the first being located in Spokane’s Northgate Center retail complex at 7808 N. Division. That restaurant, which opened last March, is operated by franchisee Eric Johnson, of Austin, Texas.

Looking ahead, Staples says he and his brother haven’t yet chosen a location for their second Firehouse Subs restaurant.

“We’re focused on making sure this store is anchored and running well before starting a second location,” he says.