Blimpie history

In 1976, Conza wanted to expand into the South, but DeCarlo didn’t.

Conza retained control of the original company, which was incorporated in 1977 as International Blimpie Corporation.

By 1983, International Blimpie's annual revenues were approaching $1 million, and Blimpie's franchises totaled 150.

Although Astor brought in $4.5 million in revenues for 1987 (its largest total yet), the company showed a net loss of $347,800 for the year.

By 1988 Conza had realized the error of his ways, and he quickly got out of the Tex-Mex business.

In 1989 Blimpie began testing a new low-calorie menu in the hope of attracting a bigger share of the increasingly fat-conscious American public.

In 1991 Blimpie unveiled its Quick Bite menu in response to the appearance of value menus in many fast-food establishments, including arch-rival Subway.

By the beginning of 1992, there were Blimpie restaurants in 27 states.

Additionally, in 1993, the Blimpie started to build out stores in non-traditional locations like gas stations, convenience stores, college food courts, stadiums, hospitals and airports.

In 1994, the 800th Blimpie, in Iron City, Michigan, was opened.

Blimpie opened Maui Tacos locations in the continental United States, and started Smoothie Island, a Maui Tacos offshoot, in 1998.

1999: Pasta Central is launched as a concept to be cobranded with the Blimpie sub shops.

By mid-2001 there were eight units cobranded with Blimpie and Pasta Central, with the units located in Puerto Rico, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming.

Another shift occurred in 2006 when a franchising company called Kahala Corp. bought Blimpie.