The stores were run for several years by wives Maureen Vickers and Lynn Warfield, with Ron and Les helping out after hours when they could. Like any family-operated business, there were sacrifices of time, vacations, weekends and evenings, all devoted to Submarina. It wasn't until the mid-1980s that the mail carriers were able to hang up their mail bags and get behind the counter full-time.

Submarina secured its place by producing hearty sandwiches made from quality ingredients. Today the generous helpings of meat and cheese are still sliced in front of the customer, ensuring freshness. All breads are still made from scratch by a baker and delivered to the stores seven days a week.