Subway Opens Nenana’s First Fast Food Franchise

Food has been “slow” in the Tanana River town of Nenana, but not anymore. Subway is the first fast food franchise to open in the city of about 400 people southwest of Fairbanks.

Made to Order

Elijah and Erin Verhagen are operating their local Subway restaurant, tucked into a corner of the town courthouse on West Eighth Street, just off the Parks Highway.

“I grew up in Nenana, and I am beyond thrilled to give back to the wonderful Nenana community by serving delicious Subway subs, wraps, salads, cookies, soup, and more,” Elijah says. He notes that starting up has been challenging an hour’s drive away from Fairbanks. For example, the Coke machine he ordered was mistakenly delivered to Kodiak at first.

The Nenana location becomes the fifty-fourth Subway shop in Alaska since Steve Adams and his mother, Bobbie Scribner, opened the first one in 1988 in Midtown Anchorage. The world’s largest single-brand restaurant chain now has outlets in twenty-six Alaska communities.