Peace, love and Dave’s Cosmic Subs

Shop changes ownership but is still serving fresh-made meals
Peace, love, and Dave’s Cosmic Subs.
It’s a simple philosophy, but one that co-owner Dave Reisberg believes sets his sandwich shop apart from
the rest in Bowling Green.
Having some delicious tasting subs doesn’t hurt either.
Dave’s Cosmic Subs, located at 132 E. Wooster St., opened in April of last year, but Reisberg and his
wife, Peggy, took over the downtown restaurant earlier this month.
Reisberg, who has held a variety of jobs since graduating from Bowling Green State University in 1993,
got into the restaurant business with the hope of providing something different in a town that has
plenty of choices for a quick sandwich.
"If I wasn’t 100 percent behind it I wasn’t going to do it. But I believe in it and I believe in the
potential," Reisberg said. "The people that I’m really trying to reach are just the local
people. We’ve got the students and they’re going to find a sub shop.
"But it’s the local people, the residents, that we need to get in here so they can see what they
have in town."
Walking into Dave’s one feels as if they are time-warped back into the 1960s. Tie-dye Jimi Hendrix
posters and psychedelic images from the "hippie" generation plaster the walls while classic
rock music plays in the background of the dining area that has a very laid-back, casual vibe.
Although Dave’s does offer free delivery, Reisberg said that he wants people to come in to the store to
be a part of the atmosphere.
"To me this is an ideal location for a business like this. … There’s plenty of parking. It’s just
got a great downtown vibe to it," he said. "It’s just a great, nice, bright, clean place. It’s
got a great atmosphere where you can be as casual as it gets."
And that’s before even glancing at the big menu spread across the back wall in front of the kitchen,
which is visible when ordering and waiting for your food.
Dave’s features 30 gourmet sub options, with names like Dave’s World Famous, Dave’s Far Out Chicken, and
Dave’s Height Ashbury.
Among the most popular choices is The Original Dave, which consists of pepperoni, genoa salami,
prosciutto, vegetables, fresh garlic, herbs, provolone cheese, and Dave’s Signature Sauce, which is a
concoction that most closely resembles a creamy Italian dressing. Fresh salads, homemade dressings,
soups, Dave’s specialty sodas, as well as Coke products, and a kids’ menu are also available.
All of Dave’s meats and vegetables are sliced fresh in the store and each serving of Italian bread is
baked individually daily. Reisberg emphasized the fact that Dave’s does not use any preservatives and
focuses on freshness.
"Taste. That’s all I can say," Reisberg said of what sets Dave’s apart from the other sub shops
in town. "I think the sandwiches absolutely speak for themselves."
For those who have yet to try out a Dave’s sandwich, Reisberg said each sandwich can be made to order for
those who may be a bit of a picky eater, and one "regular" sub is loaded with enough meat and
veggies for a satisfying lunch or dinner. Regular subs range in price from $5.49 to $6.49 while the
extremely hungry human can order a large (two regular subs) starting at $9.99.
"You can take off, you can add what you want. If you’re picky we’ll cater to that. If you want
softer bread. If you want a cold sub heated. Just let us know and we’ll do whatever," Reisberg
said.
Dave’s is open Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to3 a.m.; and on
Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dave’s can be reached at (419) 353-3283.
"It’s got that ’60s feeling. Peace, love and Dave’s Cosmic Subs," Reisberg said.
"I know that the community screams for your Olive Gardens or your chain restaurants, but we have a
lot of restaurants that are extremely unique to this area. I think that’s wonderful."