Sandwich shop opens in Stillwater by 20-year-old entrepreneur
New gourmet sandwich shop opens in Stillwater
A new gourmet sandwich shop in Stillwater is owned by a 20-year-old entrepreneur who is betting on himself. FOX 9’s Maury Glover has the story.
STILLWATER, Minn. (FOX 9) - A young entrepreneur is making waves in Stillwater with the launch of a new sandwich shop in a converted bank building.
New sandwich shop opens in downtown Stillwater
What we know:
E's Gourmet Sandwiches opened its doors earlier this week in downtown Stillwater, with 20-year-old Ethan Sorensen at the helm.
The shop serves a variety of options, including hot chicken, burgers and cold-cut Italian clubs.
Sorensen, who started working in restaurants at 14 years old, said opening the shop was both exciting and stressful.
"It's a super fun, exciting feeling. There was a big moment of relief when we opened the doors, but then we were really hit with a rush and then stress," said Sorensen.
The shop is located in a converted bank building and has quickly become busy, requiring a team of 10 employees, most of whom are older than Sorensen.
His mother, Bridget Edwards, also helps out.
"When Ethan was little, he had an entrepreneurial spirit, so we knew he was going to do something with it one day, and it led to this," said Edwards.
A cross-section of customers
Local perspective:
Sorensen said he was inspired to open the sandwich shop because he enjoys the variety of people who visit. He credits his aunt, celebrated local chef Jamie Malone, as a mentor.
After working as a marketing manager at a local inn, Sorensen used his savings to start the business.
An old soul
Why you should care:
Sorensen is not only one of the youngest restaurant owners in town, but he is also running a business that is already drawing crowds and creating jobs for the community.
"I'm young. I have a lot of energy and I figure this is the time to do it when I have so much energy," said Sorensen.
He said the rush of opening the shop and serving customers is something he enjoys, even with the stress that comes with it.
"I love a good rush, I love getting slammed, it's a fun time, even when I have a lot of stress and anxiety. At the end of the day, it was like, wow, that was fun, you know?" said Sorensen.
What's next:
The shop is open every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., except for Sunday when it will be closed for Mother's Day.