Chris Sorensen obit

Firerehouse Subs Co-Founder Chris Sorensen Dies at 65, Leaves Lasting Legacy in Brevard and Beyond

Sorensen’s life reflected a commitment to public safety, an entrepreneurial spirit

 

He was not on the list.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — Chris Sorensen, a former Brevard County firefighter who co-founded the nationally recognized Firehouse Subs restaurant chain with his younger brother, Robin Sorensen, died at 65.

Sorensen’s life reflected a commitment to public safety, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a dedication to helping first responders—a legacy that continues through the restaurant business and the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.

Before becoming a successful restaurateur, Sorensen served as a firefighter and emergency medical technician, including working with the Brevard County Fire Department.

His emergency services career helped shape Firehouse Subs’ identity, founded on the brothers’ firsthand experience in the fire service.

From Brevard County Firefighter to Restaurant Entrepreneur

Sorensen followed in his father Robert’s footsteps, also working in the fire service. Before entering the profession, however, Chris pursued another passion: music.

According to his obituary, Sorensen worked as a professional guitarist and performed with well-known acts, including Huey Lewis and the News, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner, and Earth, Wind & Fire.

He eventually chose a career in public safety, working first with the Brevard County Fire Department and the Jacksonville International Airport Fire and Rescue Department.

Sorensen later spent 10 years as an engineer and EMT with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, where his father also worked.

That experience gave him and his brother firsthand insight into the challenges firefighters and other emergency personnel face —knowledge that would become central to their future business and charitable work.

Building Firehouse Subs From the Ground Up

In 1994, Chris and Robin Sorensen opened the first Firehouse Subs restaurant in their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

The brothers entered the restaurant business with limited financial resources, reportedly with less than $100 in their checking accounts when they began.

Their concept drew inspiration from their firefighting backgrounds, combining hearty sandwiches with a restaurant atmosphere that celebrated firefighters, police officers, and other public safety professionals.

Firehouse Subs became known for its steamed meats and cheeses, served on toasted rolls, as well as its distinctive restaurant interiors.

One of the chain’s signature features was its custom artwork. Chris Sorensen led the design of the restaurants’ interiors, ensuring each location featured a mural honoring fire and police service, often incorporating imagery and local connections unique to the surrounding community.

A collector of historical artifacts, Sorensen also worked to preserve the company’s history, becoming an unofficial archivist of the brand and its connection to the fire service.

The restaurant’s early days were not without surprises. In a 2020 interview with the Jacksonville Daily Record, Robin Sorensen recalled that the first order at the original restaurant wasn’t a sub sandwich but two fully loaded hot dogs.

Robin recalled that the brothers had focused so heavily on their signature sandwiches that they were unprepared for the unexpected order.

Despite the early learning curve, the business grew steadily and eventually became a nationally recognized restaurant brand.

Firehouse Subs Grows Into a National Brand

Firehouse Subs expanded from its original Jacksonville location into a nationwide chain with more than 1,200 restaurants.

In 2021, Restaurant Brands International, the parent company of Burger King and other major restaurant brands, acquired Firehouse Subs in a transaction valued at approximately $1 billion.

Although the company grew far beyond its Florida roots, its identity remained closely tied to the brothers’ experience as firefighters and their appreciation for the men and women who serve their communities.

For Brevard County, Sorensen’s story carries a particular connection through his time working as a local firefighter before helping establish a business that would reach communities across the United States and Canada.

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Extends His Legacy

In 2005, Chris and Robin Sorensen established the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to provide first responders with lifesaving equipment, essential tools, and educational resources.

The foundation grew into a major philanthropic effort supporting fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and other public safety organizations.

According to Sorensen’s obituary, the organization has awarded more than $118 million in grants to approximately 7,700 departments across the United States and Canada.

Its work has included helping public safety agencies obtain equipment and resources that can improve emergency response capabilities and protect both first responders and the people they serve.

The foundation’s mission reflects the brothers’ understanding of the realities emergency personnel face, including the need for reliable equipment and adequate resources when responding to emergencies.

That commitment is especially relevant to communities throughout Brevard County, where firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and law enforcement officers respond daily to calls involving residents, visitors, and the region’s growing population.

Through its grant programs, the foundation has helped public safety agencies acquire resources that might otherwise be difficult to obtain through regular budgets alone.

A Lasting Connection to the Fire Service

Sorensen’s professional journey brought together several distinct chapters of his life: musician, firefighter, EMT, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

His experience in Brevard County and other Florida fire departments preceded the creation of a restaurant brand that turned public safety into a defining part of its identity.

Rather than simply using a firefighter theme as a marketing concept, the Sorensen brothers built their business around a profession they knew firsthand. That background also helped inspire their charitable work supporting first responders.

Today, Firehouse Subs restaurants operate across the country, while the foundation the brothers established continues its mission of supporting emergency service organizations.

For Brevard County, Chris Sorensen will be remembered not only as a co-founder of a successful national restaurant chain but also as a former local firefighter whose experiences in the profession helped shape a lasting commitment to public safety.

His legacy lives on through the restaurants he helped create, the charitable organization he co-founded, and the first responders whose work the foundation has supported.