Growing up in Iran, Shahnaz Fattahi had no clue she would become a mini mogul owning sandwich franchise stores in and around Malibu.
You might call her Mrs. Subway, and chances are you might have stopped by her Malibu Colony or Point Dume locations for a flavor-filled, foot-long sandwich or an icy cold beverage.
As a girl, Fattahi probably never heard of a submarine sandwich, but when she arrived in the United States 30 years ago, she became a quick study.
“I knew the language,” she said, “but I didn’t know the culture.”
That soon changed.
“I studied accounting and one of my teachers said, ‘If you go to the U.S., open a franchise store’,” she recalled. “I had no experience with a franchise before Subway, but they said there was an opening in Malibu. I said, ‘I love Malibu. I want to go there.’”
And so she did.
“I worked very hard for the store,” Fattahi said. “I bought a house in Malibu and had two kids. My husband worked for IBM.”
Today her children are grown up Los Angeles natives with a classic cross-town rivalry—one from UCLA and the other from USC.
Throughout the years, she’s seen lots of changes to the neighborhood, especially in the Colony area. Wolfgang Puck’s Granita has been closed for years, Indiana Joan’s is long gone and Casa Escobar and Bay City Beauty Supply are history, but despite the changes, Fattahi has staying power.
She admits there may be a secret to her success. “I am in the store almost every day,” she said. “We deliver fresh food at good prices. I help high school students. I help college students, I serve Malibu and keep my prices down.”
As a part of the city she serves, Fattahi has stayed involved during trying times.
“During the fires, I kept my store open,” she said of Malibu’s devastating blazes. “We stayed open for the firefighters and helped them a lot.”
After two decades, she’s also developed a close relationship with her adopted home and the people who live here.
“I know almost everyone by name. Their kids come back to me. It’s gratifying. I love Malibu and have a connection to the community.”
Fattahi’s Subway stores are located at the Malibu Colony Plaza at Webb Way and Pacific Coast Highway, and at Point Dume Village, PCH and Heathercliff.