When Which Wich, a sandwich shop located near the Searcy Wal-Mart, closed its doors unexpectedly on Sept. 30, 2012, Harding students and Searcy citizens wondered what would become of the unique restaurant. One such citizen, Tom Sledge, decided to call it quits in the insurance business and re-open the sandwich shop he and his family enjoyed so much.
Sledge, a Searcy native and Harding graduate, has taken on the store and has a target reopen date of Feb. 4.
“After 20 years in the insurance business, I’ve been looking for a while for a different option for my life and Which Wich seemed to fit as an option for me,” Sledge said. “It has always been a dream for me to own a business; the restaurant industry has always intrigued me. This will also allow me to bring my family into the business. My wife, two daughters and son will all be working in the store at times.”
Sledge said that the sales under previous management were good but he hopes to make them even better. He said he is optimistic about the restaurant’s potential.
“As a matter of fact, the corporate office had told me that if someone didn’t come along pretty quick to get the store restarted, that they were going to open it as a corporate store because the numbers were so good,” Sledge said.
It was also announced that after re-opening Which Wich would begin offering the ‘Lettuce-Wich,’ a low-carb, gluten-free alternative that takes all the toppings and fillings of the sandwich and wraps them in lettuce leaves.
“Of course we will still offer more than 50 different delicious ‘Wiches on our traditional white or wheat bun as well,” Sledge said. “Which Wich has a whole line of catering products that can be used for a group as small as 10 people and as much as several hundred. Harding students, faculty and staff are always welcome here because they are a big part of our customer demographic.”
Which Wich is planning on maintaining its past hours of operation: Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
