For 30 years, Jasmine Jamil has worked at Subs Salads Junction Downtown (66 Forsyth Street Southwest), greeting regulars with a smile. Her son Shafi Jamil had barely started school when his parents opened the tiny takeout shop adjacent to a parking garage, and he’s grown up with the business. Tho ugh he began his official career as a mechanical engineer for Porsche, Jamil took over management of Subs Salads in 2015 after his father, Sal Jamil, passed away. The biggest changes, however, have occurred in the past few months: Subs Salads has undergone a complete renovation with new menu items added. It also has a new name: the Junction. “It’s a legacy business that was in dire need of an uplift,” Shafi Jamil explains. “It was dark and dirty from age; now it’s bright and inviting with a cool, modern look.” Invest Atlanta and South Downtown supported the shop and provided numerous visual design options for the family to choose from. “It brought tears to my mom’s eyes when she saw it. We thought we’d have to close up shop—we didn’t want to leave,” he says. “It’s uplifting and makes us feel like we have a fighting chance now. We get so excited to see the responses when regulars see it.” There are new countertops, flooring, wall panels, and vinyl signage. A divider wall was removed to open the flow of the space. Jamil says the shop has been “extremely busy” since it reopened on January 23 after being closed since November. Inside the JunctionCourtesy of the Junction He’s taken the opportunity to introduce new menu items as well. In addition to longtime favorites like the BLT, Gobbler, and Atlanta’s Best (Italian), there are vegetarian and vegan items and a Steak Philly with melted cheese (as opposed to Cheez Whiz). Try the new Chicken Bacon Ranch or the Crispy Bocker fried chicken sandwich. All 18 subs and six salads are fully customizable. Burgers, wings, and jalapeño poppers function as more indulgent options as compared with new wraps and smoothies. Plus, breakfast is served all day. The Junction is currently open weekdays; however, Jamil says he intends to expand the days and hours for events like concerts and the World Cup. “I want us to be known as a landmark,” he says. “I want us to be on the map.” The post A downtown Atlanta sub sandwich staple gets a second life appeared first on Atlanta Magazine. ...read more read less