Our Story
Long before sandwiches were toasted and cookies were on straws, Peter Hastings and his wife owned an antique shop in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. This quirky shop was doing well, but the determined pair knew they could always do better. In 1977, they decided to start serving sandwiches to their curious, collecting customers. As time passed, the little antique shop slowly turned into the neighborhood lunchtime getaway. With lines reaching out the door and around the corner, customers enjoyed toasty warm sandwiches, homemade desserts and even live music in this unique atmosphere. In 1995, a man named Bryant Keil tasted his first toasty Potbelly sandwich and fell in love with the brand and its mission. The very next year, he bought the company and began expanding it across the country so communities everywhere could enjoy Potbelly's good vibes and delicious food.