New Subway opens across from Huntington Metro station

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A new Subway restaurant featuring the chain’s fresh new look and feel opened Tuesday across from the Huntington Metro station.

The Subway, located at the Huntington Station shopping center on North Kings Highway (see map), replaces the Subway that was located in the now-demolished Penn Daw Shopping Center, which closed in late 2015.

According to franchisee Quazi Ahmed — who owns four Subways in Alexandria and Woodbridge — the new Subway is only the second franchise in Virginia to incorporate the national brand’s design makeover, which debuted last year at select locations across the country. Among the noticeable changes are bright and artsy wall designs — including the national chain’s new “S-choice mark” logo — new seating and flooring; a visually appealing fresh vegetable display case behind the counter; a touchpad-style beverage dispenser; and wall-based USB charging ports.

The menu has remained the same, said Ahmed.

The Huntington Subway’s debut comes at a time when the national chain is closing many domestic stores due to declining sales but is expanding overseas. The brand redesign is part of an overall effort to boost sales, according to news reports.

In a similar vein, the new Dunkin’ Donuts being built next door at 5836B North Kings Highway will be the “latest prototype” for the chain, according to Michael McGregor, an executive vice president at Dwoskin, which owns Huntington Station.

A new Dunkin’ Donuts opening in Hampton, Virginia next week will be the first next-generation concept store in the state, according to a report in the Virginian-Pilot, and will include a new energy-efficient design, updated beverage offerings and a special drive-through lane for mobile app orders.

McGregor said he expects the Dunkin’ Donuts at Huntington Station to open in about two months. A sign on the door indicates that the shop is in hiring mode.

Both the Subway and Dunkin’ Donuts are located in a newly added section of the shopping center, which remains at full capacity. El Pollo Rancho, a Peruvian chicken restaurant, is the center’s newest tenant. It is currently under construction and will be located across the parking lot from Subway and Dunkin’ Donuts.