BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT: MEET ELYSEE 'E' AND TESSY JEAN-CHARLES

On the first day of Black History Month, we are honored to celebrate Black members of our Firehouse Subs® family and their incredible accomplishments within restaurants and local communities.  

Today, we shine a light on franchisees and spouses, Elysee ‘E’ and Tessy Jean-Charles. Owning a restaurant has been a dream of the Jean-Charleses for the last three decades. That dream became a reality in October 2022 with the opening of their Firehouse Subs® restaurant in Haines City, Florida.  

Prior to opening their restaurant, the pair faced their own set of challenges during the pandemic. Tessy worked tirelessly as a nurse practitioner, answering the call to be a travel nurse, and serving as a frontline hero in Texas, Oregon, and Louisiana. While Tessy was away, E continued to work for another national restaurant brand that dealt with the onslaught of in-restaurant dining closures, while taking care of their three young children at home.  

The challenges the pandemic brought only made the couple stronger. The duo, whose families are both originally from Haiti, hope their restaurant becomes a place for other families to make memories.  

E noted to "never give up on your dreams and remember that you go farther together as a team in life and in work than you do alone."