Nearly a year after closing her first Mr. Sub location in Preston, Natasha Potter is hanging up her apron for good and closing the ovens at her Main Street location.
The franchise is now up for sale for $389,999 and has been on the market for the past four days.
"I am dealing with some health issues and so is my father-in-law... frankly I'm not making any money," Potter says
The Mr. Sub owner has made a name for herself in Cambridge over the past seven years in business. The Preston Mr. Sub had very loyal customers who would come in just to chat with her; the same thing happened at her Main Street location.
But due to a volatile food industry that has been crippled by inflation, rising costs of goods, and an unpredictable workforce, now is the time for her to get out while she can, she says.
"I want to be able to spend more time with my family and right now I'm working seven days a week with barely any time off. It's not easy," she adds. "Being a franchise is not easy when you can't make all the decisions, but all the responsibility falls on you."
Potter says she's worked in the industry her entire career, starting at her father's hotel in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and going on to study hospitality at George Brown College. The food industry is all she knows, but she knows when enough is enough, she says.
The sandwich shop owner has also made it a mission of hers to give back to the community with her 'Pay it Forward' campaign.
She would let customers pre-pay for meals that anyone could come in and take.
"You know being a single mom with six kids, I know what it's like to struggle a bit," said Potter. "It's nice when I can give back to someone who is homeless or is just having a hard time affording food."
Initiatives like this are what allowed her to stay connected with her customers. It was always about more than just food, she says. It was also a place to come and talk and be heard.
"I might not be running the show anymore, but I had a great time and met so many amazing people doing it."
