Whatās the culture really like at Gateway Subs?
With 6 locations and around 45ā50 people on the team, Morgan Zook says theyāve always tried to keep things personal.
āYour vibe attracts your tribe.ā
Morgan says he doesnāt view the team as workers or employees, but more like friends and family.
One of Morganās old semi-pro basketball teammates went from doing landscaping to managing one of the Gateway Subs locations.
From checking in with managers throughout the week to keeping the atmosphere positive inside the shops, the goal is simple:
treat people right and build a place people actually enjoy being part of.
And honestly, thatās a big reason why so many people around St. Pete connect with the brand.
š WHATāS THE BEST WORK CULTURE YOUāVE BEEN A PART OF?
Watch the full episode at the link in bio!
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #localbusiness #stpetebusiness
Whatās next for Gateway Subs around St. Pete?
Morgan Zook, Founding Member & CMO of Gateway Subs, says the goal isnāt just opening more locations anymore.
Coming into the business, the team had huge expansion goals:
3 locations in 2 years.
10 in 5 years.
Even 110 locations long term.
Now, the focus has shifted more toward quality over quantity.
Gateway Subs currently has 6 locations across St. Pete, Tampa, and Ellington, but Morgan says most of his time is now focused on St. Pete and growing deeper within the community.
From local collaborations to helping those in need, the goal is to build something bigger than just sandwiches.
And yesā¦ they would still love a Downtown St. Pete location someday š
š WHERE SHOULD GATEWAY SUBS OPEN NEXT IN ST. PETE?
Watch the full episode at the link in bio!
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #localbusiness #stpetebusiness
How did Gateway Subs start growing around St. Pete?
Morgan Zook, Founding Member & CMO of Gateway Subs, says it started with focusing on two things:
making the best subs possible and creating great service people wanted to come back to.
Year one, there was almost no marketing.
Then after opening the Pasadena location, Gateway Subs started getting more involved around the community, visiting local businesses, handing out mini subs and cookies, and testing Instagram and TikTok content.
But the biggest turning point came during the 2023 hurricane flooding.
Morgan filmed a funny video walking through waist-deep water saying:
āPasadena is closed, but Kenwood is OPEN. Nothingās stopping me from getting a Gateway Sub.ā
The video went viral and completely changed how they viewed social media and marketing.
š HAVE YOU SEEN THE VIRAL GATEWAY SUBS VIDEO?
Watch the full episode at the link in bio!
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #localbusiness #stpetebusiness
Gateway Subs almost never happened š
Morgan Zook says before Gateway Subs, he was actually focused on launching a ghost kitchen while writing random business ideas in his notes app during college at Florida State.
Then his high school classmate, Grant Strayer, called him with the idea of opening a sandwich shop in St. Pete.
At first, Morgan thought it was ridiculous š
But after the ghost kitchen idea wasnāt taking off, he called Grant back, drove over to St. Pete, walked the Pier and Central Aveā¦ and within a couple hours they knew this was the place.
Now Gateway Subs has grown into one of the most recognizable local sandwich spots around St. Pete and Tampa Bay.
š WHATāS YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT ON CENTRAL AVE?
Click the link in bio and watch the full episode.
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #localbusiness #stpetebusiness
The āLegalize Mayonnaiseā shirt might honestly be one of the funniest marketing ideas to come out of St. Pete š
Morgan Zook from @gateway.subs talks about how a random joke turned into people constantly stopping him around town to ask about the shirt.
Next thing you know, theyāre talking sandwiches, getting discount cards, and checking out Gateway Subs.
Alsoā¦ this episode somehow turned into a full debate about mayonnaise.
Ryan says heās anti-mayo, but Morganās convinced he just hasnāt had the right sub yet š
š PRO MAYO OR NO MAYO?
Click the link in bio and watch the full episode.
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #localbusiness #stpetebusiness
How did @gateway.subs go from 2 locations to 6 around St. Pete and Tampa Bay?
Morgan Zook, Founding Member & CMO of Gateway Subs, says a big part of it came from staying connected to the community.
Instead of just opening more locations, Gateway Subs focused heavily on collaborating with other local businesses around St. Pete, from gyms and yoga studios to charities and local events.
The mindset was simple:
support local, build real relationships, and bring value to the community first.
Itās one of the reasons Gateway Subs has become such a well-known local spot around St. Pete!
š WHATāS YOUR GO-TO LOCAL SPOT IN ST. PETE?
Click the link in bio and watch the full episode!
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #localbusiness #stpetebusiness
Ryan Bogden just won the 2026 Innovator Award at the Tampa Bay Real Producers Agents Choice Awards.
Grateful for everyone who showed up, voted, and supported along the way, this one means a lot! š
20% OFF TODAY ONLY for May Monthly SoecialšØ
Introducing our May Monthly Special:
The Talkinā St. Pete Sub
Inspired by our recent appearance on the @talkinstpete podcast (episode dropping soon š), we had to create something worthy of the nameā¦
š„ Pepperoni
š„ Grilled Chicken
š„ Banana + Sweet Peppers
š„ Spinach + Onion
š„ Provolone
š„ Zās Sweet Tang + Honey Mustard + Mayo
š„ TOASTED to perfection
This sub actually talks backā¦
Edited by @stpeteedit
What does St. Pete actually look like in 5 years?
According to Mauricio Lan Agamiā¦ itās going to change a lot, but not lose what makes it special.
More growth, more energy, more places to live, work, and spend time, all while keeping the character that makes St. Pete feel like St. Pete.
Itās not just expansionā¦ itās evolution.
š ARE YOU EXCITED FOR WHERE ST. PETE IS HEADED?
Click the link in bio and watch the full episode.
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #downtownstpete #stpeterealestate
A luxury tower in St. Peteā¦ that actually caters to pets?
Roche Bobois St. Pete Tower @rbstpetetower leans into what the city loves, with a dog park on the amenity deck and even space for a pet salon.
Itās not just about the unitsā¦ itās about creating a place where people (and their dogs) actually enjoy living day-to-day.
Mauricio Lan Agami shares how these details make the building feel more connected to the St. Pete lifestyle.
š WOULD THIS BE A MUST FOR YOU?
Click the link in bio and watch the full episode.
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #downtownstpete #stpeterealestate"
What if you could walk through your condoā¦ before itās even built?
At Roche Bobois St. Pete Tower @rbstpetetower , you actually can.
Through their gallery + VR experience, you can move through the entire space, from the lobby and ownerās lounge to the pool deck, fitness center, and even inside the units, before construction is done.
David Cook explains how it gives you a real feel for the design, the layout, and why this project stands out from anything else in St. Pete.
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #luxurystpete #stpeterealestate
This isnāt your typical pool setup in St. Peteā¦
Roche Bobois St. Pete Tower @rbstpetetower takes it further, open sun deck, shaded spots, designer outdoor pieces, and a glass-edge jacuzzi that extends out from the building.
@davidcookthethird says itās one of the biggest highlights, a space youād actually spend hours in, not just walk past.
š COULD YOU SEE YOURSELF HERE?
Click the link in bio and watch the full episode.
#talkinstpete #stpete #stpetefl #downtownstpete #stpeterealestate"
