Westford's Subway Owned and Managed By Ambitious Teen

Being a 19-year-old is a difficult time in anyone’s life. You’re leaving childhood and becoming an adult, you’re probably getting used to life in college, you’re learning how to own and operate your own Subway franchise….

Wait, is that not how it goes? If not, don’t tell that to Suraj Patel.

Under the guidance of his parents and a loan from an area banker that has known him for a long time, the teenage entrepreneur purchased the Subway franchise at Westford Valley Marketplace a few months ago, although this young man is no stranger to the inner workings of a successful Subway.

He and his family has either managed or worked in Subways across the country for over a decade, with Suraj helping his uncle and parents at a store owned by his uncle Missouri.

There, the seed of owning a business of his own was set in Patel’s mind and when he came of age, he started looking for a store of his own to purchase, first looking in North Carolina, and then here in Massachusetts.

Although his first choices were in Boston and Somerville, Suraj eventually came to Westford, purchasing the franchise from Shashidhar Bogelli, who opened here in 2011.

Bogelli and Patel still keep in contact, with Patel hoping to one day emulate Bogelli’s success.

“Shashi definitely had a knack for location, he recently opened stores in Tewksbury and Billerica,” said Patel.  “At one point, this was a big Subway in terms of sales numbers, becoming the most successful Subway ever in the Boston market.”

However, difficult winter weather combined with the allure of the new Chipotle next door and the initial appeal of new restaurants at Cornerstone Square ate into those record setting sales figures.

Still, Patel isn’t fazed, noting that sales at his store have rebounded.

“I don’t plan on selling this store until I’m dead,” said Patel. “One day I hope to expand to other locations, but until everything is set up here, I’m here 24/7.”

 Along with those future locations, with a potential new Subway along Daniel Webster Highway being one of the first options, his plans also include heading to UMass Lowell with a path toward a degree in business law, as well as eventually paying back his parents for the support they’ve given him over the years.

Even though he may own the Subway, Patel still answers to his mother and father and is grateful for that support they’ve given him so far.

“In the Indian culture, when a son grows up, a son is supposed to take care of their parents, but for now, they want me to focus on studying,” he said. “But they’re happy working with me. I didn’t want to see them working with someone else and not getting anything out of it, I feel like it’s kind of my duty.”