How changes to Phoenix's 'Zone' kept The Old Station Sub Shop open after 40 years

Lux Butler, Arizona Republic
Updated ·3 min read

Just weeks before the Old Station Sub Shop was set to close its doors for good, Bill Ellis took the opportunity to buy the lunchtime hotspot and continue its nearly 40-year legacy.

The Old Station Sub Shop at Jefferson Street and 13th Avenue has been a Valley staple since 1986. For 38 years the sandwich shop was owned and operated by Joe and Debbie Faillace. Earlier this year, the couple announced they would be selling the family business so they could retire.

Converted from a Conoco gas station, Old Station gained popularity due to its convenient location near the Arizona State Government complex. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 and the emergence of the sprawling nearby homeless tent city known as "The Zone" pushed Old Station's original owners to close their restaurants.

Ellis heard the news of Old Station's closing and decided to tap his 20 years of experience in corporate food and beverage to continue selling subs, while adding a few modern improvements.

"The article came up about Joe and Debbie looking to sell and then I said, 'Well, maybe we should buy a sub shop. Yeah, I'm gonna buy a sub shop.'" said Ellis. "Next thing, you know, we're down here having a conversation with them and buying a sub shop and not just any sub shop. We're buying the Old Station."

The sale of the Old Station Sub Shop was quick, Ellis met with the Faillaces to express his interest in buying the shop in early April and by May 1 the business was sold.

Bill Ellis, The Old Station Sub Shop new owner.
Bill Ellis, The Old Station Sub Shop new owner.

The Zone, located between Seventh and 15th avenues and between Van Buren and Grant streets, was home to nearly 1,000 homeless people at its peak.

In 2023, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney ordered the city to have The Zone cleared and cleaned within six weeks. The city spent most of 2023 clearing The Zone block by block, ending in November.

Today the scenery around Old Station Sub Shop, in the center of what used to be The Zone, is drastically different from what it was in the summer of 2023. Signage on every street corner and parking lot entrance reads "Absolutely no camping, lying, or sleeping by order of Phoenix City Code."

The Old Station Sub Shop on Jefferson Street and 13th Avenue has a new owner, Bill Ellis. Ellis is pictured in the glasses and grey apron.
The Old Station Sub Shop on Jefferson Street and 13th Avenue has a new owner, Bill Ellis. Ellis is pictured in the glasses and grey apron.

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Unhoused individuals are still present in the downtown area, primarily around the Human Services Campus on 12th Avenue, but the encampments and tent communities that had become normal for the area are now a thing of the past.

For Ellis, the changes the City of Phoenix has made to keep The Zone from re-emerging were a deciding factor in his purchase of The Old Station Sub Shop.

"If you look at the area, it's a night and day difference," said Ellis, "and there will still be parts of it, but I think as a business opportunity, it is time to move forward. This is why I bought it."

Ellis said he plans to keep the iconic gas station themed decor and many of the classic sub sandwiches but is also adding his own recipes and salads this summer.

In addition to updating the menu, Ellis has also implemented an up-to-date point of sale system, an upgrade from the 20th Century cash registers the shop was using until now, and customers can now place their orders online at https://www.oldstationsubs.com/.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix's Old Station Sub Shop stays open after homeless camp cleared