The owner of Brick City Grill is preparing to bring the first Erbert and Gerbert’s sandwich shop to the central Iowa area later this spring.

Erbert and Gerbert’s will offer sub-style sandwiches and soup to customers both in-store and for delivery. The Wisconsin-based sandwich franchise has three locations in Iowa City and Cedar Falls, but the upcoming Ames location will be the first in the city or in the Des Moines metropolitan area.

Brick City Grill owner Jason Mikkelson said the shop, located about a block from the west Ames Hy-Vee at 3505 Lincoln Way, will price sandwiches around $5 to $7 and around $10 for a soup-sandwich combination.

He said drivers be able to deliver to all of west Ames and as far east as University Avenue, but isn’t completely sure how far north and south deliveries will be able to go.

Mikkelson said he decided to work with Erberts and Gerbert’s because of the company’s variety of sandwich dressings and soups, and its use of gluten-free bread on request.

He also believes the company will support his venture from a logistics standpoint, useful for any business owner preparing to start a second venture.

“I have to wear every single hat,” he said. “From product development, to market, to research, to accounting, I do all of it. With the franchise, you have a support team behind you.”

Mikkelson has begun divesting some of the daily tasks at Brick City Grill to employees as he prepares to leave town for three weeks for training.

Erbert and Gerbert’s is moving into a competitive market in the Ames area, as Jimmy John’s owns five locations around the city while Panera has begun delivery service in recent weeks. Mikkelson said the shop can compete with established soup-and-sandwich places with its own products. He also said shop employees will hand out sandwich samples at events to drum up hype for the grand opening.

With those together, Mikkelson is confident the new venture can succeed in Ames.

“Some of the haters, if you will, are going to say it’s just a Jimmy John’s ripoff,” he said. “It’s similar, but Erbert and Gerbert’s have been around … just as long as they have… and I also fire back to just try it.”

Mikkelson said he hopes to open the store sometime in mid-to-late April.