When you first walk into Ricky's Sub Shop in Dearborn you are greeted by savory smells and the sounds of fresh subs being grilled up.
"You've got to sell that sizzle," says owner Feras Mansour. He explained that it's a phrase that the creator of Ricky's sub shop, Ricky Freij, used to say frequently.
"Selling the sizzle is important. You hear that chopping of the steak, you hear the sizzling, you know you're going to get a good sub," says Mansour.
Freij started his bustling sub shop back in 1988 after attending a Subway franchise seminar and deciding he could do it better himself. He got the place started and his wife, Sue, soon joined and they have been busy ever since.
Unfortunately, Freij had to retire in 2018, but he passed the shop on to a longtime family friend, Mansour.
"My family owns a party store right next door," explained Mansour. "So I was in an out of here my whole life. The line would be out the door and you'd come in and be like, 'Hey Ricky I'm hungry,' and he'd be like 'go make your own sub.' So I would go and make my own sub and that would always be pretty cool."
So what makes these subs so special that they've remained popular for over 30 years? Well, it could be their thinly sliced ribeye, their 16-inch sub buns, or the arsenal of seasonings they flavor their subs with.
"You've got to have flavor, especially in a good looking sub like this," says Mansour.
They serve mainly cheesesteaks and hoagies with a variety of different meat options. The Philly cheesesteak with the works is their signature sub. They are also well known for their well seasoned Cajun fries, whose recipe is a secret.
Ricky's Sub Shop is located at 6460 Greenfield Road in Dearborn.