It can be rough being the new kid on the block, but according to Mike McKenna, the owner of the Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop, the Dublin community has been welcoming.
Mr. Pickle’s opened for business on and has been serving up sandwiches ever since.
Recently, Mr. Pickle’s won the Patch for best sandwich shop in Dublin.
McKenna, who lives in Pleasanton, also owns the Pleasanton Mr. Pickle’s and says the business is a family affair. His son, Nick McKenna, runs the Pleasanton shop while his son-in-law, Jon Broadbent, handles the Dublin shop.
“My goal was to have the kind of store I had when I grew up. Where you could go down and see the owner and their family,” said McKenna. “Even though this is a franchise, because it is a family affair, a lot of people like that. It gives it a better sense of community.”
McKenna says that of the 15 employees at the shop, at least seven of them have been working there for more than a year.
According to Broadbent, the current Dublin “regulars” are local law enforcement, employees from the camp parks maintenance crew and Valley Christian students.
The “Mr. Pickle” sandwich is most popular on the menu board. Broadbent says its ingredients include chicken, jack cheese, bacon and avocado. The menu offers 22 specialty sandwich choices along with a build-your-own option.
Recently, McKenna says one of the students, who visits regularly, created a unique sandwich they are now going to put on the menu to see if it is a hit with customers.
Broadbent says that store offers catering platters for businesses and parties.
McKenna takes a fun approach to advertising and tries to support the community while spreading the word about Mr. Pickle’s sandwiches.
“We advertise through a lot of local fundraising and sponsorship,” he said. “We sponsored the Dublin Little League and will be sponsoring the Dublin High Golf Tournament. When we did the in March at our stores, we donated all of the profits earned between the hours of 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day for the whole month from both stores.”
Broadbent and McKenna are thankful for their regulars and hope more residents will hear about them and visit the shop.
“We want to say thank you to our regulars for their loyalty and we hope to continue to provide the best service and excellent quality sandwiches,” said Broadbent.
“We know a lot of clients come in and only have a short time for lunch,” said McKenna “We want to give them a break, a respite from the working world so they can enjoy their sandwich.”
