Cousins Submarines, better known as Cousins Subs, is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based sub sandwich shop with more than 100 locations, founded in 1972 by cousins Bill Specht and Jim Sheppard. Cousins Subs is a regional chain with restaurants in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.
History
Cousins Subs was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1972 by cousins Bill Specht and James Sheppard, who could not find a suitable sub sandwich option in Milwaukee like they had when they lived in New Jersey. Specht and Sheppard opened their first restaurant in Milwaukee, which was located at 60th Street and Silver Spring Drive. After opening the shop, they partnered with a local baker to make their own bread, highlighted in the slogan "Better Bread, Better Subs". A large segment of customers during Cousins' early years were former East Coast residents. In 2009, Cousins Subs announced it would put an increased focus on the local side of the business. During the Great Recession, Cousins Subs closed over 40 locations to better focus on quality. In 2013, Cousins Subs established The Make It Better Foundation, which focuses in improving the welfare and quality of life in the communities, particularly in health and wellness, hunger, and youth education. Christine Specht-Palmert, daughter of co-founder Bill Specht, took over as CEO in 2015 when her father retired. Cousins Subs announced another rebranding in 2016, which included expanding its footprint throughout the Midwest; remodeling all locations to its Milwaukee Sub Shop to unify the brand; in look and feel, updating its exterior design, logo, packaging and uniform designs; and digitally enhancing the in-store experience for its guests. Along with the remodel, Cousins Subs struck sponsorship agreements with the Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers. As of October 2019, there are approximately 100+ Cousins Subs locations throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. Cousins Subs continues to develop new locations throughout the Midwest with franchise partners focused on multi-unit development. In August 2018, Cousins announced their expansion into the Chicago market with 40 new locations opening by 2025. Three of these locations will open by the end of 2018.
