Potbelly

March 21, 2013

Potbelly. Not sure why, but my kids and I snicker every time we drive by the little sandwich shop and read its sign. Inevitably, someone always has to read it out loud, even though we’d passed it countless times before. On a recent Sunday afternoon the curiosity about the restaurant with the funny name got the best of us and we just had to stop in and see what this place was all about.

We’re glad you’re here
My family and I stepped into Potbelly Sandwich Shop for the first time and had no idea what to expect. I hate drawing attention to ourselves but it was obvious we were newbies and didn’t know what we were supposed to be doing. A Potbelly team member came out from behind the counter to greet us, giving us the lowdown on what their place was all about and how to build your sandwich. Though I had not eaten anything yet, customer service like that always brings me back.
As it turns out, Potbelly is very big in customer service according to franchise owner Jeff Gibbs. “We encourage associates to talk to the customers. We really emphasize that we want our associates to be friendly and polite and engage our customers,” said Gibbs. Almost unthinkable in this high-turnover industry, eight of his 13 employees have remained with him for the two years he’s been open. That speaks volumes.

Kid friendly: Yes
To avoid wait: Anytime
Noise level: Moderate
Bathroom amenities: Changing stations in BOTH the men’s and the women’s restrooms.
High chairs: Yes
Got milk? Yes, as well as Coke and Pepsi products, and a variety of bottled drinks.
Kids’ menu? No, but the grilled cheese sandwiches are wonderful.

Fresh food, fabulous flavors
After talking to Mr. Gibbs as well as perusing their website, I gained a much greater understanding and appreciation for how the shops came to be, and what philosophies remain today. The cozy interior of the shop had a potbelly stove front and center. Just as the very first sandwiches in the original Potbelly store were served in an antique shop, every Potbelly Sandwich Shop is decorated to keep that nostalgic feeling.
The 13 sandwiches listed on the menu board are made to order. Every sandwich goes through the oven, and then you add any other topping you’re craving, from pickles to dressings. They offer fabulous soups of the day and chili every day. I heard the salads are wonderful, as are the freshly baked desserts, hand dipped shakes, malts and smoothies.

High quality fresh products are key at Potbelly. “We prep our vegetables, meats, and cheeses every day in the store. We prep in the morning for freshness and quality,” said Gibbs. Everything is made to order, including the ice cream sandwiches.

No kids menu? No problem
I was at first disappointed to find they didn’t have a separate kids menu. However, the employees were again very helpful and suggested the tasty grilled cheese or PB&J. The boys have since mentioned several times how much they loved their grilled cheese. My daughter tried a fresh strawberry smoothie and finished it before I got a taste. My boys convinced me to let them try an Oreo shake. Again, putting forth great customer service, the associate heard me tell the boys they could share it, and he offered to put it in two cups for them. He brought those out to our table complete with an Oreo garnish on the rim of each cup and had the cups measured exactly; as you know there could be war if one cup had an extra sip.

You can choose the original size subs, or do the BIGS, which are 30% larger. Since we shared some loaded broccoli cheddar soup, chips, shakes etc, the Original was plenty for us.

I went for the meatless Mediterranean sub. It had feta, artichokes, cucumbers roasted red peppers, and hummus. Remember, though, they are made to order. So if you wanted to swap out ingredients, or simply add more, you just need to ask. My husband’s homemade tuna salad was flavorful. Originals start at $4.60 and BIGS start at $5.60. Salads start at $6.25 and a cup of soup is $3.20. Sometimes, only comfort food will do.

Bottom Line: The potbelly stove remains a symbol of people gathering together and enjoying one another’s company. At Potbelly Sandwich Shop, customer service, as well as delicious hot sandwiches, are front and center. Though carry-out is popular with those on the run, stay a bit if you can and enjoy a relaxing step back in time.
Karen Zickes is a mom of three active children and freelance writer who resides in Holland, OH. She can be reached in c/o [email protected].

Potbelly Sandwich Shop
4038 Talmadge Rd.
419-725-5037
Monday thru Saturday: 11am-9pm
Sunday: 11am-8pm
www.potbelly.com

An artistic mind

Laura Blair

March 21, 2013

The most sought after material in art teacher Tina Arndt’s classroom is the toilet paper tube. Her students at Central Trail Elementary School in Sylvania have the opportunity to make clay sculptures, weave textiles, tool copper and create installations in the hallways. But the simple toilet paper tube still plays a prominent role in many art projects.

“They ask for them all the time, and it’s amazing what kids can do with toilet paper tubes,” says Arndt. “But that’s
the best part of teaching art. The kids never cease to amaze me with what they can do.”

Art has always been the teacher’s favorite subject, and her passion is imparting that enthusiasm to her students. Parents can reinforce the art history lessons learned at school and encourage creativity (and fine motor skills) by making projects without spending money or even going to a museum. According to Arndt, it’s easy to incorporate creativity into everyday life.

Favorite projects

Arndt says her student’s favorite projects tend to be three-dimensional projects like clay and paper mache, which they don’t normally make at home. However, she recommends that parents support their budding artists by simply giving them a place to work and a wide assortment of materials (think recyclable things like paper tubes, boxes and junk mail) to work with.

Years teaching: 23
Family: Husband, Matt; daughters Kat, 12, and Erika, 10; two cats and one bearded lizard
Favorite Toledo spot: The Toledo Zoo and the Toledo Museum of Art
Motto: With art, anything is possible.
Favorite restaurant: Degage Jazz Café
Favorite artist: Vincent van Gogh
Favorite art style: Modern
Favorite children’s books about art: “Scribbles and Ink” by Ethan Long; “Ish” and “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds

For genres or materials that parents aren’t familiar with, YouTube is a good resource for step-by-step instructions. For example, Arndt’s daughters have watched YouTube videos to learn how to draw anime and to fold origami shapes. Other websites that Arndt likes are The National Gallery of Art, Washington at www.nga.gov for its interactive art zone, and Crayola.com for its kid zone activities and articles about creativity.

Toledo has many great art resources, too. Of course, the Toledo Museum of Art’s Family Center, which hosts free, drop-in themed art activities, is a favorite. Arndt has volunteered at the Heritage Center Museum’s summer art camp at the Sylvania Historical Village, which provides projects such as batik, wood sculpture and glass sand blasting that can’t be done at home or at school.

For Arndt, the discovery of art was early — she was only four years old when she announced to her mother that she wanted to be an artist. She started as an arts major at The University of Toledo, but switched to art education. She changed majors because she wanted to stay in Toledo and be involved in art without being a starving artist. She realized that as a teacher, she familiarizes students with art history, technique and creativity.

“I still get to be extremely creative by thinking of new ways and projects to inspire my young artists, “she said.

One of Arndt’s unique inspirational tools is the pin contest. Arndt has a coat covered with 372 art pins, and any student in second through fifth grade can compete to see who can identity the most pins by artist, genre or time period.

“Elementary-age students haven’t lost the love of art,” says Arndt. “They’re not worried about what other people say or what other people are making. They still take the risk.”

Super glue and other parenting tools

Mary Helen Darah

March 21, 2013

We are all in this parenting thing together, people. It takes a village … and an occasional glass of wine and large quantities of baked goods (especially when three daughters share the same “cycle," making you to want to relocate to the nearest Holiday Inn). Consequently, when someone shares a bit of wisdom or insight that's effective, I like to pass it on.

The Super Glue Theory
I am the mother of teens, so I am navigating my way through the land of flying hormones. I know things have changed since my upbringing, where basically my options were to remain a virgin until I marry or die. It saddens me that my daughters are force fed images that reinforce the message that all they have to offer is their sexuality. To reach “celebrity” status all you have to do is perform intimate acts on tape, get married on live TV (then file for divorce after 72 days), get pregnant with a new “baby daddy” (while waiting for the divorce to become final) and maintain your balance in stilettoes with perfectly lined lips. The cultural female role models offered to my teens such as Kim Kardashian and Snookie, motivated me to dish out the “Super Glue Theory” (SGT).

The SGT equates having sex to super gluing your fingers together; you can pry yourself free and move on, but healing is required. Do this several times and it can be downright painful. In theory, when you least expect it, someone amazing could appear on your radar screen. However, if you are wounded from continually being “stuck,” you could be too busy nursing your injuries and miss out.

The Mandy Code
I learned of the “Mandy Code” from a friend of mine and incorporated it into my “Keeping Sane Through the Teen Years 101” manual. Oscar Wilde was said to have uttered the phrase “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” It has been my personal experience that kids love to be unique as long as they are like everyone else. Therefore, the “Mandy Code” is the ideal way for a teen to leave a party and still “save face.” I told the girls to call me and say, “Mandy, do you want to go get some pizza?” or “Mandy, pick me up and we will hang out” if they needed to leave a party or situation. My first “Mandy” call came from my oldest child when she was a freshman. I jumped in the car with thoughts that I would be rescuing her from drugs, alcohol or some sexually assertive nightmare. She got in the car and I said, “Lauren, I know I told you that if you used the code, I would pick you up and not ask any questions … but, if you want to share … ” She replied, “Mom, they wanted to watch the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and I didn’t want to get freaked out.” Since then, I have gotten a few “upgraded code blue Mandy calls” and thank my good fortune to have included the “code” in my parenting playbook.

Get on the “Right Bus”
A dad, coach and all around “good guy” who I am acquainted with continually tells his sons to “Get on the right bus!" He also tells them that they are three bad decisions away from totally screwing up their life but I digress. His “Get on the Right Bus” motto hit a chord with me because my grandfather would quote Lincoln when he said, “Make sure your feet are in the right place, then stand firm.” This hands-on dad tells them he believes that they are intelligent enough to realize when they are heading in a bad direction. Actually, I’m paraphrasing. He advises that when they sense they are heading in a bad direction, at the very first stop to “GET THE HELL OFF!”

Parents have shared hundreds of helpful ideas with me and one of these days I vow to collectively organize and share their insights. In the meantime, I will try to keep my girls “unglued,” away from “Mandy” and on a bus heading toward a great future.

Summer Camp Guide

Toledo Parent Staff

March 21, 2013

Discover the educational — and totally fun — experiences the Toledo area's summer camp programs have to offer in our Summer Camp Guide. Don't forget, you can meet the summer camp staffers at the Summer Camp Fair on April 27th at Westfield Franklin Park from 9am to 3pm.

Tell me a story

Brittany Adams

March 21, 2013

Encouraged by their families, these authors present unique stories with a wealth of artistic and literary flair. The following titles showcase a sample of local talent… Click here to read.

Body image and "Operation Self-Worth"

Brittany Adams

March 21, 2013

For her Girl Scout Gold Project last year, Notre Dame Academy senior Alyssa Tomcho created “Operation Self-Worth,” a two-week curriculum for young girls at the Boys and Girls Club of Toledo. Her program made a lasting impression on the young girls served by the organization — so much so that it will be added to the organization’s regular programming. We sat down with Alyssa to talk about the meaning of self-worth and the meaning of confidence for teenage girls.

What does “self-worth” mean to you?
To me, it just means that you’re comfortable in your own skin. You realize that there are imperfections in your body, but you can overlook those and see that you have value and that you are worth something to so many people in this world.

So does your self-worth program have to do primarily with body image?
A lot of it is on body image. I talked a lot about how the media and culture distorts our body image. I tried to relate it to our lives and how we can be comfortable with our body image and help others to be comfortable with it, too.

When you were implementing these things with elementary and early middle school age girls, did you see that it had an impact on them even though they were so young?
I was a little worried that maybe they wouldn’t understand some of the stuff, but one of the things that I did was little surveys asking them how they felt about themselves and if the program was making a difference. A lot of them at the beginning were saying they didn’t feel comfortable with their bodies. By the end they were circling answers like “I feel good about myself.”

You seem like the model of a self-assured teen girl! Have there been times in your life where you’ve struggled with confidence?
Definitely, and that was how I became so passionate about it. During my junior high years, it was just really rough for me. I just didn’t really have good experiences with my friends. After I transferred to Notre Dame Academy, I think that I grew a lot more and started to feel more comfortable with myself just because of the people that I was surrounded by.

For young girls who haven’t had the opportunity to go through your program, do you have any advice about self-worth?
I think mostly you have to surround yourself with people that will help you to feel good about yourself, and you need to take that additional step to work on your confidence and reflect on your life. Do stuff that makes you feel good about yourself and don’t let anyone bring you down, even if they say mean things to you.

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