By Doug Fletcher,Staff Writer

Quiznos is coming.

The sandwich franchise that styles itself somewhere between fast food and casual dining is tentatively set to open in September at the 895 Lisbon St. building that most recently housed Shapes Express.

Corey Spurling, the frontman for a three-person partnership that holds the Quiznos franchise, said the group will be opening a second restaurant in November in part of the former Emerson Toyota building on Center Street in Auburn.

“I’m really excited,” Spurling said.

A recent University of Maine graduate, he’s learning the business right now working at a Quiznos in Bangor, he said. He’ll follow that up with a two-week training stint at Quiznos’ headquarters in Denver.

Lorraine Fontaine, who owned the Lisbon Street building and ran Shapes after operating Nutcracker Sweets there for years, said Wednesday that Spurling’s 622 Group is gutting the shop in preparation for Quiznos.

“They’re shooting for a Sept. 1 opening,” she said, but added that the date might be off-target a bit.

Spurling agreed.

“It should happen sometime between then and mid-September,” he said.

Fontaine is talking with Spurling and Rick Malinowski about managing the Quiznos or otherwise working for the franchise owners.

Spurling is president and Malinowski is vice president of the 622 Group, which bought Fontaine’s building.

He said Malinowski, who works at Tambrands, suggested the franchise for the Twin Cities. All of the partners live in Pittston, not far from Gardiner.

“I hadn’t been to Lewiston for six years or so,” Spurling said, “and I was really impressed with what’s been going on there.”

After looking around, he agreed with Malinowski about putting the restaurant plan to work in the Twin Cities.

“It’s the place to be,” Spurling said.

Fontaine said she sold her Shapes Express fitness business to John Ross of Livermore, who plans to put the equipment to use in Livermore Falls.

The Lisbon Street building that will house the new Quiznos has a long history. It sits on what was once a sprawling apple orchard, Fontaine said. The building’s history includes a stint as a Sears oil delivery office and Cote’s Service Station, as well as Fontaine’s popular Nutcracker Sweets candy shop before its transformation to Shapes Express.

Fontaine said she is also continuing to make and sell sweets from her home. Her Needhams are available at a dozen or more convenience stores in the Twin Cities, she said.