On the first day of my first marketing class back in college, the professor asked us a simple question …. “what are the 3 most important factors in a success of a business?”

Everyone came up with answers, and everything we picked was wrong! Finally someone said “location?”, and the professor said “that’s right, what r the other two?” It took us another 10 mins or so then someone else said “ummm….location?”

“Correct!! Location, location, location!!”

So…..basically location is pretty important ;P

This brings me back to my subject….Subway!

Subway has to be one of my favorite restaurants! Its good healthy food thats fast and cheap! I used to like it in the US, but the Kuwaiti Subway restaurants are so much cleaner and fresher than the US ones!

Anyway, I remember when subway first opened in Kuwait many years ago, around 1996 I think, it opened in old salmiya, near the current Hardeez on the corner. I used to be a fan and went there alot, although being all the way in Salmiya was a bit of a hassle for a quick sandwich! I actually saw my wife there for the first time and fell in love at first sight ;P

Not much after it opened, it closed. Subway didnt last much and not many people knew it at the time! It simply failed! A few years later, it opened again in Salmiya, but I think it was owned by Sultan Center or something (im not quite sure). It also didnt last much!

Then came the new person who brought it over to Kuwait. They re-opened the Salmiya branch and then in Hawalli and then in Khaldiya I think. The Khaldiya branch is open 24 hours, and after a slow start, its always busy now! Try going at around 2 or 3 am, its always full!! I guess they realized that this works! Its open in a residential area and its a tiny place that doesnt cost as much as salmiya or hawalli and is always more busy! Since then they have opened in many more residential areas! I know I have seen it Tha7yat 3abdalla AlSalem, in 3dailiya, Khaldiya, and Shamiya so far!

I just came back from the 3dailya Subway, and it was BUSY! I had to wait for around 10 mins for my turn and had at least 8 or 9 people waiting behind me when I got there! There were 4 people working on the sandwiches so it wasn’t really slow, it was just packed!

What a difference in the restaurant and its popularity now compared to back then! Everybody knows it now and people go there alot! Residential areas meant closer to the people, and being in a jam3iya means the name is always there, and in less than 2 years, its has become extremely popular! My college professor was right, location, location, location!

P.S.- why do people fill their sandwiched with 12039373 kinds of sauce?!?!