Dagwood calls Gulf Breeze home
BY BETTY ARCHER ALLEN Gulf Breeze News betty@gulfbreezenews.com

Betty Archer Allen/Gulf Breeze News Sandwich servers at Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppe in Gulf Breeze pose with Dagwood and Blondie.

Dagwood and Blondie Bumstead have come to town and are making their home in the Tiger Point Shopping Center in the form of Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes. The Shoppe's grand opening date is today and their normal business hours are 10:30 am to 9 pm Monday through Sunday.

Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes, located at at 3715 Gulf Breeze Parkway, is "sandwiched" in between two other restaurants in the marketplace. The Gulf Breeze Shoppe will be the fourth for Dagwood's rapidly growing chain, inspired by the signature sandwich introduced 70 years ago by the beloved comic strip character, Dagwood Bumstead. All of Gulf Breeze residents will soon enjoy Dagwood's sandwiches just as he does in the comic strip. Dagwood's features more than 30 sandwich menu items plus soups, salads, wraps and desserts. Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes offer the fun of feeling you've walked into Dagwood and Blondie's world.

To help celebrate the opening of the area's first Dagwood's, the companies hosted a special Media/VIP reception on July 13 and many of the company's dignitaries were there to greet the press. Dean Young, who inherited the strip from his father Chic young in 1973, was scheduled to make and appearance but was unable to attend.

However, the event was still full of Dagwood VIP's. To mention a few; Lamar Berry, came with his wife, Ellen, Lance Harris and his wife Leetha, Geoffrey Rhode, Chef, Doug Degler, Franchise Business Consultant, Cliff Cole, Director of Operations for the Lance Harris Florida/Alabama Division, and of course, Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead.

Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes is a privately owned restaurant franchise company headquartered in Clearwater, Fla., and New Orleans. It was developed by the "Blondie" comic strip creator Dean Young and restaurant franchise and marketing executive Lamar Berry.

Chic Young, father of Dean Young and the original creator of the "Blondie" comic strip, would have been proud of his son's accomplishments. Dean wrote that the continued popularity of Blondie is that the characters have not been allowed to become relics.

He says, "I've worked hard to keep the strip contemporary; and when Blondie started her own catering business, it even created national media frenzy, culminating with Peter Jennings' selection of Blondie and me as ABC's 'Persons of the Week!'"

So now that Dagwood and Blondie have a new home in Gulf Breeze. Residents will have the opportunity to experience the fun and universal appeal of the comic strip. The Dagwood Sandwich Shoppes offer guests the opportunity to step into a fun and hearty comic strip world.