Tobey Chapman is 13 years old, and he owns a restaurant. Tobey’s Sandwich Shack sits on McMinnville Pike in Manchester, Tennessee, and since its grand opening it’s been serving more than 100 customers a day. The money to buy the property came from a savings account his grandfather Glenn started the day Tobey was born. Tobey used it to flip two houses, and then he built the menu from scratch after years of watching cooking shows.
The shop runs on a family schedule. Jess Roberts and Cat Myers work the counter five days a week while Tobey is in school. Glenn handles the permits, contracts, and paperwork, and he drives his grandson to the shop after the last bell. Tobey describes the daily rhythm as chaos and pure enjoyment at the same time. When he talks about the customers, he says each face is a part of our family.
Tobey still plays soccer and still has homework. He also has plans to expand his sandwiches across Tennessee or the whole country. For anyone on the Suncoast who remembers their own first job or the grandparent who believed in them, this story lands close to home. What’s the best sandwich you’ve ever had from a small family shop? Tell us in the comments.
