San Jose: Northern California’s first Earl of Sandwich shop closes

Northern California’s first Earl of Sandwich has shut its doors.

The San Jose shop had opened five years ago on Santa Clara Street downtown with such popular sandwiches as The Original 1762 (roast beef, cheddar, horseradish sauce) and the Holiday Turkey (turkey, cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey gravy), along with wraps, salads and new offerings like the Spicy BBQ Brisket and the Caribbean Jerk.

But the restaurant was a victim of the lingering economic effects of the pandemic.

“The sales decreased 85% when COVID hit and never recovered with the work-from-home structure these days and San Jose State students not coming to school as often either,” franchise owner Trang Nguyen said. “Downtown businesses really were affected by COVID.”

The San Jose closing leaves two in Northern California: A San Francisco location at 201 King St. near the ballpark and one in Elk Grove.

The chain was founded in 2004 at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida, by Orlando Montagu, a direct descendant of the 4th Earl himself, John Montagu. The company boasts in a trademark line on its website: “The Original Sandwich Since 1762.” The group has grown to 50 locations worldwide.