Jimmy John's vs. Erbert & Gerbert's vs. Milio's
 

So yeah, there are three sub sandwich chains here all over the upper midwest: Jimmy John's (the most people have probably heard of this one), Milio's (formerly Big Mike's and based in Madison), and Erbert & Gerbert's (based in Eau Claire WI, kinda up around Minneapolis, not really any here). I always wondered why Jimmy John's and Milio's were so similar to each other.

Turns out, Jimmy John set up his sub shops in the early 80s, and he helped his cousins Big Mike a.k.a. Milio (hence the Big Mike's and now Milio's names) and Kevin (which has nothing to do with Erbert or Gerbert...) set up similar shops with different names. He thought they would be franchisees, but they set up their own chains.

Jimmy John Liautaud, who opened the first Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwich Shop near Eastern Illinois University in 1983...said he helped [Kevin] Schippers and Mike Liautaud set up their first shops in Eau Claire and Madison, respectively.

"They've been very successful with my sandwiches," Jimmy John Liautaud said. He said the cousins have mended hard feelings, but he was miffed when the two entrepreneurs began competing against his chain.

"At this point I expected them to be franchisees of mine, paying me," he said.

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2004/01/21/7924

So yeah, it's probably an old article, but there's your useless fact for the day that probably most people on here will have no clue about whatsoever.

On that note, I'm gonna go get me a sub. From Cousin's...another place that has nothing to do with the other sub chains that were started by three cousins.

wow thats crazy! man i love jimmie johns, especially at 2am when ur wandering around CMU and all u have is 5 bucks and a cellphone. delivery ftw!

We only have jimmy johns here.

FREE SMELLS!

Jimmy John's is one of those chains that is close enough to nationwide as long as you stay near college campuses.

we have two downtown. they're only a mile (if that) from each other, and on the same street.

We dont have any of those.

Montreal has this place called Dagwoods. Like the sunday newspaper cartoon guy. Good sandwiches.

never heard of any of those

dagwoods is the shit. I have one in my home town.

i heard of subways, d'angelo's, and blimpies. thats all we got around here.

and for the record..Jimmy Johns gets real old real fast.