“The most important sub is the next one going across that counter and you can never let up,” says Tom Pitkin, owner of Subway Station.
Pitkin opened Subway Station on Warwick Boulevard 46 years ago after determining that he wanted to own his own business. Although he loves his work, Pitkin’s original goals were not even close to aligning with owning a business. “I wanted to be a golf pro,” he says with a smile, “Not like Tiger Woods who plays golf, but to work on a golf course.”
A Virginia Beach native, this sandwich guru attended Old Dominion University (ODU) and decided shortly after his enrollment that college was not the place for him. After a couple of different jobs and re-enrollment at ODU, he was offered a job at a newly opened golf club as head golf pro. “It was my dream,” says Pitkin. “I couldn’t believe that I did it at 23, but there I was.”
After what he describes as what felt like “a honeymoon at the golf course,” something still did not feel right. “I was bored and I wanted more,” Pitkin says. He spent a long period of time establishing his future goals, which is when he decided he wanted to open his own business.
Pitkin opened Subway Station in 1977 when what is now Christopher Newport University (CNU) was still Christopher Newport College. Once the school attained university status in 1992, his business began thriving. Pitkin says, “We get a lot of students who come in to eat and most of my workers are students, too.”
Pitkin says his staff is the real reason why his business is so successful. “I’d put my staff up against anyone in this business. In fact, our manager has been here for 30-something years and truthfully she’s the one that runs this business,” he says.
Over the years, Subway Station opened eight locations, including one on Jefferson Avenue and one near the College of William and Mary. Pitkin says, “I remember opening our Williamsburg location and I was doing everything I could to get the word out…menus in every mailbox and handing out fliers on the side of the street.”
Unfortunately, none of the expanding locations were able to uphold their popularity the way the Warwick Boulevard location has. Pitkin explains how the expansion of Jefferson Avenue led to the shutdown of the Jefferson location due to restaurant-access difficulties. The Williamsburg location, however, was open for a consistent 25 years before its closure.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a very large impact on Subway Station. “Honestly, I didn’t know if we were going to make it through,” says Pitkin, “With CNU shutting down, we lost a lot of our regular business.”
Looking at the menu, Pitkin says his favorite items are the Atlantic City Connection or the Subway Express, both the most popular among customers. He emphasizes that the tuna sub as well as the meatball and cheese sub are underrated options.
Pitkin and his wife often choose to go for the barbecue subs. His wife prefers pulled barbecue with the tomato base and Pitkin opts for chopped barbeque with the vinegar base.
Pitkin has a twinkle in his eye when he talks about how his family is waiting for the day that he retires, but he is not ready. “My family — specifically my wife and daughters — are definitely ready for me to hang up my sub apron, but not yet, not yet,” he says.
TO THE POINT:
Subway Station
Address: 12288 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, VA 23606
Contact: Tom Pitkin
Phone: 757-596-0300
Website: www.subwaystationsubs.com
