Making tackles to making hoagies: Football 'brothers' score with award-winning sandwiches

What does success look like off the playing field?

For two former local star athletes, it looks like sandwiches. PrimoHoagies to be exact.

If the names Kenny Coloma and Justenley Philippe sound familiar, their feats on the fields earned notice in the Naples Daily News sports section during their high school years.

Coloma is now 22 and played lacrosse and football at Naples High. Philippe, who goes by JLee, is now 25 and was Golden Gate’s team captain, playing running back and linebacker. He also starred on the basketball court.

In 2022, PrimoHoagies won NDN’s reader-voted “Best of the Best” sub/deli/sandwich shop. The restaurant is at 2315 Vanderbilt Beach Road in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt.

And the PrimoHoagies' mothership, originally created in Philadelphia, in 2023 earned the No. 1 spot atop USA TODAY’s 10 Best competition in the sandwich/sub category.

When arriving at the shop for our chat, the possibility of a repeat win in 2023 seemed to be foremost on their minds. But those results are a month away and tabulated separately by NDN's publishing department, where I have no say, sway or affiliation.

What caught my ear? When speaking to each gent separately because someone had to make the sandwiches, they refer to each other as “my brother” in the truest use of the words.

Ken Coloma, Kenny's dad, got to know JLee while volunteering with and serving as past president of Naples Gators Youth Football & Cheer League. Kenny’s stepmother Ashely Coloma taught English and language arts at Golden Gate Middle School when JLee was a student. Like most great teachers who become our earliest influencers, JLee cites Mrs. Coloma as a mentor.

For Kenny, JLee became and remains an older brother figure. When studying at the University of Findlay in Ohio on a football scholarship, JLee’s player profile listed two sets of parents: Alourdes and Lejuste Philippe, plus Ashley and Ken Coloma.

Sandwich schooling

As mandatory for all new franchise owners, Kenny and JLee traveled to PrimoHoagies' immersive sandwich school.

“My brother and I flew to New Jersey to learn operational procedures. I was there for two weeks and he stayed an extra week to learn how to do the books and other requirements for management," Kenny Coloma said.

Also on the lesson plan? What would become their new daily and early morning routine: precision techniques for cooking steaks and meatballs and grilling chicken diced for hot hoagies. Then there's prepping all the equipment. Baking bread and slicing techniques for meats and cheeses to the company's high standards. All part of the operating curriculum.

They also gleaned the chain’s mission for helping communities, which came in handy just a few months after buying the location in late 2019 when Florida soon shut down its restaurants in 2020 because of the pandemic.

“We sold a lot of takeout during that time. We did a lot of donations to NCH hospitals and supported the community around us. It was hard, but we made it through. The donations helped us gain recognition. We also did a lot of marketing,” said Phillipe.

A recipe for success

The chain sprung to life in Philadelphia, home to JLee's favorite NFL team, the Eagles. Coincidentally, cheesesteak is Naples' best-selling hot hoagie. “The Italian,” using Thumann’s products, is the top-selling cold hoagie. Customers order sandwiches by size at 6 or 9 inches. For those with big appetites ― there were several during my visit ― two-footers are popular. Carryout trays of mixed sandwiches for groups are also available.

And the hoagie rolls? Offered seeded or unseeded, they’re fantastic and flown in par-baked daily from Liscio's Bakery in New Jersey, then finished on-site in special ovens.

As for Primo’s popularity among NDN's readers, JLee says many Naples snowbirds from Philadelphia already know and love the concept. The shop is also in the same busy plaza as a gym and near many schools.

Kenny's dad Ken attributes part of it to a "small-town feeling when you come into the shop; they know a lot of customers by first name.”

While they've been able to retain staff, as Naples heads toward busy season, they would like to add more.

“The thing we're most proud of is that both came from humble beginnings, and they still have the humbleness in them that makes them kind-hearted people. They want to help others, and they’re both family-oriented,” the elder Coloma said.

“Both have that type of personality where they love to help people. JLee is one of those exceptional human beings: he always asks questions; all he wants is to gain knowledge. Kenny is one who’s determined on something. When he sees it, he wants to go get it. They mesh well together for running a business.”

Connect with this reporter at diana.biederman@naplesnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Football 'brothers' score with North Naples sandwich shop