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PrimoHoagies in Rockaway and Wayne Welcome New Ownership

By: PrimoHoagies - Italian Specialty Sandwiches |  0 Shares     117 Reads

May 14, 2025 // Franchising.com // ROCKAWAY, N.J. - PrimoHoagies is welcoming new ownership at its Rockaway and Wayne locations. James Mentor, an established restaurant operator with nearly two decades of experience in the food and beverage industries, assumed leadership of the North Jersey hoagie shops earlier this year.

Celebrations will be held at the PrimoHoagies in Rockaway on May 15 and at PrimoHoagies in Wayne on May 22, where Mentor will continue to serve the same high-quality, freshly made Italian specialty subs that North Jersey residents have come to know by the brand’s tagline: “It’s not just a hoagie, it’s a Primo.”

“Throughout my career, I’d heard nothing but great things about PrimoHoagies,” said Mentor. “After running operations across several brands, I decided to make the leap into business ownership myself. The quality of the food and the demand for regional brands made the opportunity a no-brainer.”

Mentor’s roots in the restaurant industry run deep. At 16, he started his career as a cashier at Sbarro, where he went on to rise through the ranks until he became a supervising manager. From there, Mentor honed his operations and leadership skills as a general manager for several quick-service concepts like Nathan’s Famous, Chili’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cinnabon and Dunkin’, and even went on to become a district manager for an international French brand. 

PrimoHoagies is renowned for its commitment to quality and authenticity. Each hoagie features freshly sliced meats and cheeses from New Jersey-based Thumann’s Deli and award-winning bread baked in-house daily and crafted from Philly-sourced ingredients.

“I’m confident that James is the right person to continue building on the tradition of excellence that we’ve established at our shops in Rockaway and Wayne,” shared Nicholas Papanier Jr., Owner, CEO, and President of PrimoHoagies. “This brand was built with passionate entrepreneurs who want to enrich their communities with exceptional sandwiches crafted with the finest ingredients, and we’re thrilled to welcome James into our franchise family.”

SOURCE PrimoHoagies

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