Bradenton is getting a new sandwich spot. The restaurant has Chicago roots
A popular fast-casual sandwich shop is coming to Bradenton.
Potbelly Sandwich Works, a national restaurant chain that began in Chicago, plans to open its first Manatee County location late next year.
The restaurant is planned for SeaFlower Village Center, a shopping district that will be part of the new SeaFlower housing development along Cortez Road West and 75th Street West in Bradenton.
What’s on the Potbelly menu?
Potbelly serves toasty sandwiches, soups, salads, cookies and milkshakes.
Of the 20 sandwiches on its menu, the Wreck is a fan favorite. It’s made with turkey, smoked ham, roast beef, salami and Swiss cheese.
Other subs include the Cuban, Italian, pulled pork, chicken club, veggie melt and meatball.
Potbelly opening Bradenton store
The SeaFlower Village Center is under construction alongside the SeaFlower community, which is set to open later this year.
Businesses at the Village Center are expected to open by late 2026, according to commercial real estate company Casto, which is managing leases at the development.
What’s in a name? Potbelly history
Potbelly grew from a small Chicago antique store opened by Peter Hastings in the 1970s, according to a company history.
The restaurant derives its name from the potbelly stove, an appliance made of cast iron that was popular during the 1800s and early 1900s, according to the New York Times.
The stove has a bulge in the middle, creating the image of a potbelly. When Hastings opened his antique shop in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, he refurbished antique potbelly stoves, a company history says.
“During the late 1970s, the owners decided to try and boost business by making sandwiches for their customers,” the company says. “The sandwiches were a hit, and the small antique shop was transformed into an old-fashioned, neighborhood-friendly sandwich joint named after the stove.”
Potbelly brand expands
It wasn’t until a Potbelly’s regular, Bryant Keil, bought the shop from Hastings in 1996 that the company grew. Keil transformed it into a national chain, expanding Potbelly Sandwich Works to 250 restaurants over the next 12 years, according to a company history.
Today, there are more than 425 locations in 30 states and Washington D.C..
The nearest Potbelly restaurants are in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.
