Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmy Seidel
Jimmy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Prior to Snarf’s, I was in the financial industry working as a market maker in Chicago. To be honest… it wasn’t a good fit for me. I couldn’t see myself doing it for the rest of my career. My dream for many years had been to open my own sandwich shop. I’ve always loved cooking my favorite things for my friends. It makes me happy. Similarly, I wanted to open a shop where I could prepare my favorite sandwiches for my customers – sandwiches that were reminiscent of my favorite meals. I had a mission of creating the perfect sandwich. I decided to take the risk and make it happen. I quit my job in Chicago and moved to Boulder, Colorado.
I opened the first Snarf’s Sandwiches in Boulder in 1996. It was in a tiny 650 sq. ft. building that was known as The Shack. Our focus was on the quality and consistency of our product, the friendliness of our team and the fun we could have while making the best sandwiches. From day one, there was a line snaking through the parking lot. It was unbelievable how quickly it took off. I worked for hours on end with no days off. That’s often the nature of opening your own restaurant, especially in the early days.
I felt like we had something special that could grow to multiple locations. We opened a second location in Boulder, then a third, and we haven’t stopped since then. We also have a special place in our heart for Austin and have been part of the community for over 10 years. Our first Austin location opened across from University of Texas in 2014 followed soon after with a spot on South 1st Street, just south of downtown. After growing a loyal following over the years, we decided to expand to the north and south areas of Austin. In the summer of 2024, we added two more locations – one on Burnet Road and one on W. William Cannon Drive.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The restaurant industry is a tough one. Margins are tight, so you have to work hard to make a profit. In the beginning, we went through a natural trial and error period while we learned what worked best for our business model. Because I won’t skimp on food quality which results in a higher product cost, we had to become proficient in our ordering process and reduce waste to keep a manageable food cost. As well, labor costs can really affect the bottom line. We had to develop a balance between having the appropriate staffing to provide the level of service we expected, while at the same time keeping labor costs manageable. One thing I hate to have to do is increase our prices. Every year food, labor and operating costs go up. Ultimately, I have no choice but to occasionally pass some of the costs on to our customers so we can stay in business. For a period of time, I pushed too hard to grow our business, and sometimes that put us beyond what I could afford. I tried to do more than I was financially able to do, which got scary. It was a learning process as I figured it out, but now we’re in a comfortable position where we open new stores at a healthy rate. All in all, it’s been a relatively smooth ride, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
We’ve been impressed with Snarf’s Sandwiches, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m passionate about striving to make the perfect sandwich. A lot goes into setting us apart from others. One of the keys to a superior sandwich is having excellent bread. It took me two years of continually perfecting my recipe with the help of a bakery to get it to where it is today. It’s now one of the things our customers tell us they love most about our sandwiches. Our signature baguette-style bread is perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We use high-quality ingredients that I handpick to ensure they live up to our standards. I’m particularly proud of the meats we serve, which we hand-slice along with our cheeses and crisp vegetables. We prepare our hot toasted sandwiches with the ideal ratio of ingredients to create a perfect bite every time. Our proprietary blend of Chicago-style giardiniera peppers has become an essential ingredient for many of our customers. You can even buy a jar to take home.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My mentoring experience has been more about the mentoring we do within our company. We have a management training program that helps develop our employees so we can promote internally. We encourage people to learn from each other, and we reward those who put in the hard work. You’ll find that most of our General Managers and Area Managers got their start at Snarf’s as sandwich makers. Some have been with us for over 20 years. We’ve become a big family.
Ultimately, I just want to make our customers happy and provide them with the best sandwiches they’ve ever had. I couldn’t do that if we didn’t have the amazing team we’ve developed. We love seeing our regulars, some of whom come in five or more times a week. It’s humbling to see how many people love and support us. That support is one of the reasons we’ve felt such a need to give back to our community. We do that through supporting local organizations, especially those whose mission is to fight hunger in our community. Among other things, we have a year-round program with GiftAMeal where Snarf’s pays for meals at our local food banks. Whenever someone takes a photo of their Snarf’s meal on the GiftAMeal app, Snarf’s funds another meal at a local food bank. It’s an easy way that we can let our customers join in on the fight against hunger without any additional money coming out of their pocket.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eatsnarfs.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SnarfsSandwichesatx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SnarfsSandwiches
- Twitter: https://x.com/SnarfHappens
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@snarfs_sandwiches
