Submarine Express leveled to clear way for bank in downtown Mount Prospect

Submarine Express served its last Italian beef last year, but the building remained after the aroma had faded. Until Thursday, that is.

That morning, with the fervor of a former customer digging into a sub sandwich, a wrecking crew devoured the building, one of the oldest in Mount Prospect.

The structure at the northwest corner of Northwest Highway and Main Street, in the section of the downtown known as the small triangle, was built in 1927 and once housed Moeling Standard Service Station.

Soon construction will begin on a new JPMorgan Chase bank, part of a downtown revitalization spearheaded by the 20 West development.

The sandwich shop had called downtown Mount Prospect home since 1981, when George and Dee Zoumaras opened the restaurant. The eatery remained in the family, under the stewardship of son Tom Zoumaras.