For the Gazette
STEVENS POINT – Firehouse Subs is pleased to announce the grand opening of its first location in Portage County. Located in the Northpoint Shopping Center at 200 N. Division St., the restaurant is owned by Matt and Jodi Berndt.

The husband-wife duo were first introduced to Firehouse Subs nearly a decade ago while road tripping through Murfreesboro, TN. Matt Berndt currently serves as the Captain of the Kronenwetter Fire Department and as a supervisor of hydro operations at a local utility company, while Jodi Berndt formerly worked as a secretary at a local junior high school. Married for 21 years, the pair are college sweethearts and are proud parents of two daughters, Chloe and Allie.

“As a volunteer firefighter, there is no better feeling than joining a restaurant brand that supports local first responders,” said Berndt. “We look forward to doing just that, while serving the delicious, high-quality food that Firehouse Subs is known for.”

“Portage County is a friendly and welcoming neighborhood, and opening a Firehouse Subs restaurant fits perfectly with the values of the community members,” Jodi added.

The Stevens Point Firehouse Subs restaurant opens at 10:30 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. seven days a week. The restaurant offers subs to go through online ordering, call-in phone orders, third-party delivery or takeout service at the counter inside.

The Berndts are dedicated to sharing the brand’s commitment to giving back through Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which has granted more than $1.1 million across Wisconsin. A portion of every purchase at any Firehouse Subs in the U.S. benefits the Foundation, allowing the Foundation to achieve its mission of providing lifesaving equipment and resources to first responders and public safety organizations across the country.

Firehouse Subs serves a variety of hot specialty subs, piled high with premium meats and cheeses that are sliced fresh daily in-restaurant and steamed together to bring out the ingredients’ natural flavors, served

“Fully Involved” with fresh produce and condiments. In addition to its signature subs, the restaurant offers a variety of catering options from sandwich and dessert platters to salads and snacks to fuel any occasion.
Founded by former firefighting brothers, the restaurant décor reflects the founding family’s decades of fire and police service with gear and photos donated by local fire departments. This restaurant boasts a custom, hand-painted mural by Chief Mural Artist Joe Puskas, featuring firefighters extinguishing a barn fire with the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point’s Administration Building depicted in the background.

Since the opening of the first Firehouse Subs in 1994, Puskas and his team have painted more than 1,200 murals from his studio at Firehouse Subs Headquarters in Jacksonville, FL.