JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Ed Malin sits in a booth at Angie’s Subs.
It’s 10 a.m., and the sub shop in Jacksonville Beach just opened for the day. Employees man the register and prepare the sweet tea.
Malin glances around the dining room. He’s looking at pictures, gifts and finds that fill the walls and hang from the ceiling as customers begin to flow in and place their orders.
“Just looking around in here and being in this dining room,” he said. “I’m proud of it.”
Malin has owned Angie’s Subs for 26 years. Growing up on the First Coast as a third-generation beach resident, Malin said this place has been a staple in the Jacksonville Beach community.
“Angie’s has been around pretty much my whole life—almost 50 years,” Malin said. “I bought Angie’s 26 years ago, and it has been a fantastic business for me.”
And the sub shop has grown since Malin took over. He said it was just 17 feet wide and operated as takeout only. Now, it hosts an outdoor patio and dining room for guests to explore.
They even added a new location in Atlantic Beach just four weeks ago. Reflecting on the past 26 years, Malin said it’s been a blessing.
“Our average subs were about 40 sandwiches per day,” he said. “Friday will probably do 800 sandwiches. Saturday, we’ll probably do 1,300. Three-and-a-half subs a minute.”
But while customers come for the sandwiches, Malin said they stay for the memories.
“You see different things when you sit in different seats,” Malin said.
As he walks around the room, he knocks on interesting trinkets, explains who they came from, and the story behind them. He does that again and again.
He described the dining room’s design as a “garage sale atmosphere,” filled with items that tell stories of its past. “There’s a story behind everything that’s in here,” he said.
“It’s been fun to build and it kind of represents my character,” he said. “I’m kind of a collector.”
And he said that collection isn’t possible without the beach communities. He said he often finds items on the side of the road or has customers bring them in. He even said some customers take the liberty of posting things on the walls themself.
“I want us to be a part of the community,” he said. “I want to be in the fabric.”
He said Angie’s Subs has some plans in the works for other locations. He said he may step back, slow down and spend more time on his boat. But he said the community will always be a part of it.
“I want Angie’s to remain a part of the community after I step back,” he said. “I want us to still sponsor the ball club, the cheerleaders, the churches and the schools.”
He said those connections are what make the Jacksonville Beach community so special as it continues to grow.
“It’s crowded compared to what it used to be, but it’s still retaining that beach flavor,” he said.
