Tuk Tuk Philly Subs Will Open in Downtown Richmond

The new sandwich shop is scheduled to welcome customers at 1110 E. Main St. on Oct. 8, 2026.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Openings & Closings

A modern, brick-trimmed storefront facade with a large display window on an urban street, captured in bright daylight. — Tuk Tuk Philly Subs is set to open its new downtown Richmond location at 1110 E. Main St. on Oct. 8, 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you believe new local restaurant openings improve the overall appeal of your downtown area?

Tuk Tuk Philly Subs will debut in downtown Richmond on Oct. 8, 2026, occupying the former Sub Central storefront. Owners Joy Supanya, Jon Niemiec, and Marco Metry developed the concept to cater to local workers.

Why it matters

The restaurant represents a new dining option for the downtown area, building on the owners' existing footprint at The British Embassy. It fills a long-vacant space that previously saw unsuccessful attempts at new business operations.

Menu items at Tuk Tuk Philly Subs are priced between $8 and $16, with Philly cheesesteaks costing $11 to $16. Burgers are listed from $8 to $10, gyros at $14, and salads range from $9 to $10.

The players

Joy Supanya

She is a local restaurateur who previously operated the Thai Won On food truck and currently co-owns The British Embassy.

Jon Niemiec

He is a business partner who co-manages The British Embassy and previously operated the Thai Won On food truck.

Marco Metry

He is a co-owner of the new sandwich shop who joined the venture after the team met in Richmond.

The details

Partners Joy Supanya, Jon Niemiec, and Marco Metry decided to collaborate after meeting at The British Embassy. The shop name honors the owners' Thai roots while focusing on Philadelphia-style sandwich offerings.

Sub Central operated at the site from 2006 until 2024.
The owners launched the Thai Won On food truck in 2019 and sold it in 2025.
The British Embassy opened at 1116 E. Main St. in 2024.
Tuk Tuk Philly Subs is scheduled to open on Oct. 8, 2026.

Market Landscape

The opening marks a new chapter for the 1110 E. Main St. storefront, which has served as a central commercial space since 2006. The venture signals ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown dining despite the site's history of failed retail expansion.

Downtown workers gain a new lunch option with price points ranging from $8 to $16 for various sandwich and salad offerings. The arrival of this shop finally brings active use to a property that has been vacant since Sub Central closed in 2024.

The takeaway

The opening of Tuk Tuk Philly Subs highlights the continued evolution of the Richmond dining scene as entrepreneurs leverage existing community connections to fill vacant spaces. Readers can look forward to a new variety of quick-service options tailored specifically to the downtown workforce.