Jimmy John’s (Packard Street)
600 Packard StreetAfter a couple of days in Jackson for work, it was back to Ann Arbor on Saturday for, you guessed it, a figure skating competition.
This one we only brought B too. It was a Michigan Basic Skills competition so there wasn’t much L could do since she stopped doing free style.
The Bobbie Stoermer Skills and Showcase was held at the Biggby Coffee Ice Cube – Ann Arbor…a place we’re very familiar with. We were just there for the Margaret Faulkner Springtime Invitational last month.
B had four events starting at about 9 AM and ending around 3 PM. We had gotten Dunkin’ before we left Kalamazoo but as soon as he got done with that 9 AM event, he said he was hungry. That was our longest gap in the day so it made sense that I run out and get something at that point.
It was a little after 10:00 so I kind of assumed our options were limited. He was insistent that he wanted Jimmy John’s. I knew there wasn’t one really close to the rink so it would take me a little while to get to one. I assumed they opened at 10:30 but they actually open at 10:00. I left the rink to go get him a sandwich.
The Jimmy John’s I usually go to from the Ice Cube is the one on the corner of Packard and Hill Street just south of the University of Michigan campus. The building is very small and in a very, very hard corner to navigate. There are very few parking spaces and the ones that are there, are hard to get out of once you get in to them.
The inside of the building isn’t very big either. The order counter is only a few feet from the door and that counter takes up the entire length of the restaurant. I had put an order in online and went to pick it up. I didn’t even see the pick up area and had to ask. It’s at the far end of the space, opposite of the drink machine which I also needed to hit before I left.
I know most Jimmy John’s do the majority of the business with carry-out and delivery but this one has to do almost 100% that way. There really isn’t any place to sit an eat. There is a rail that looks out of the windows back in to the parking lot with some hard wood stool seating. I guess if that’s your only option, it’ll do but it didn’t look comfortable. I was heading back to the rink anyway so this really wasn’t an issue.
B has his order. He gets the same thing every time. #1 The Pepe without mayo, or tomatoes. What’s left on the sandwich is ham, cheese, and lettuce. B could eat three of these things. Jimmy John’s is the go-to meal for him and the one we know he will always eat. I make multiple stops on competition days for lunch because I want to make sure I’m getting the kids something they will actually eat. This is B’s go to. He just gets the sandwich and a Root Beer.
When I make food runs, I almost never get food for myself from where the kid’s pick. I usually try to find something along the way. I didn’t this time because it was so early I didn’t figure things would be open. I kicked myself afterwards because I passed two bagel shops. I could have done that.
I wasn’t totally mad at myself though because I actually really like Jimmy John’s new toasted sandwiches. I ordered the Spicy East Coast Italian which is double salami, double capocollo, and provolone with Jimmy peppers, oil, vinegar, lettuce, mayo, onion, and tomato. I left the mayo, onion, and tomato off my sandwich. There is so much meat on this sandwich and so much of the Jimmy Peppers. Every bite makes me want more. I know I shouldn’t like a fast food sandwich this much but I really do. Toasting bread is usually a sign of a place using inferior bread…we know that’s not the case at Jimmy John’s. Their bread is delicious but the toasted sandwiches are just something else.
The cost for lunch for B and I was right around $20.
I used to hate Jimmy John’s because of some bad experiences back in the early-00’s when the chain was just taking off. I’m glad I got over that because Jimmy John’s has become such a staple of our diet. The sandwiches are tasty and they always make everyone happy.
SW Michigan Dining 
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