More than a sub shop: Lake Worth Beach couple seeks to build community - Palm Beach Post

Makayla and Danny Clanton quit their corporate jobs to open L-Dub Subs, a small sub shop in downtown Lake Worth Beach. The idea was sparked by a craving for one of those great, stacked sandwiches one finds at neighborhood-gem type of sub shops.

But there wasn't a single sub shop near their Parrot Cove neighborhood or the nearby downtown business hub. 

"We decided it was our responsibility to open a sub shop in Lake Worth," says Makayla Clanton, who worked as a senior account manager for major accounts at Office Depot until late last year. "Sometimes all you want is a really good sandwich."

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The focus of the L-Dub Subs' menu

That focus has defined their whimsical shop with the aqua-colored facade on J Street just south of Lake Avenue. They sell mainly subs, both traditional and creative, all stacked and well dressed, plus a few salads and a daily soup.

Neither Makayla nor Danny, a bond trader who most recently served as vice president at a financial services firm, had restaurant experience to speak of. (Not unless you count their stints as servers many years ago, says Makayla.) But they jumped right into the sub-making business in March when they opened L-Dub Subs.

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Fellow Lake Worth Beach food-business owner Leah "Mama" Gizzi could tell they were restaurant newbies when they walked into her pasta-and-meatballs shop last year and told her they wanted to open a sub shop. 

"They were so nice. They were trying to figure out the business," says Gizzi, who owns Mama Gizzi Pasta on North Dixie Highway. 

Gizzi agreed to make her locally famous meatballs for the new shop, a decision that wasn't as easy as one might think. The pasta shop has been closed to walk-ins throughout the pandemic and Gizzi is still undergoing physical therapy after nearly losing her arm when she got caught in the pasta extruder on Christmas Eve 2018. 

"I'm very picky these days, but they were stepping into a new venture and I wanted to help," says Gizzi. "Every little town needs a really good sub shop."

Using local food sources, including Mama Gizzi's meatballs

Now, in Gizzi's honor, L-Dub Subs celebrates Meatball Wednesdays, when the daily special is the Mama Gizzi Meatball Sub.

It's part of the Clantons' devotion to the buy-local school of thought. 

"We try to source our products locally as much as possible," says Makayla. 

The shop's sandwich bread is made fresh by Old School Bakery in Delray Beach. The pickles are made by Palm Beach Pickle Co. in Lake Worth Beach. The Clantons' go-to condiments also include Dirty Bird's Swett Sauce, a kicky ghost-pepper-accented sauce that's made in Lake Worth Beach. Their iced tea is bottled by HillBilly Beverages in Broward County. And their beer-cheese soup is fortified by Lake Worth-brewed Mathews beer.

In fact, they've staged L-Dub Subs pop-up events at Mathews Brewing, serving subs and that beer-cheese soup.  

"The local business owners have been fantastic in supporting us," says Makayla. "Even other restaurant owners have been welcoming and helpful, telling us about their suppliers. There's great local support here." 

That spirit goes to the Clantons' larger mission in opening a sub shop. Beyond building sandwiches, they aim to build community as they've been community volunteers for years.

Of course, most people who walk into the shop have more immediate concerns. As in: do they go for the toasted Hot Mess sub (ham, turkey, roast beef, provolone, toppings) or the best-selling Italian Stallion (ham, salami, capicola, provolone, toppings)? There's also the toasted Redneck Cuban sub (ham, Swiss, Palm Beach pickles, barbecue slaw) and the shop's third top-seller, the Put Your Ham on my Thigh toasted sub (prosciutto, chicken, Swiss, toppings).

"We make people say it, too," says Makayla with a laugh. "Sometimes they'll say, 'I'll take that one,' and we'll say, 'Which one? You have to say it.'"

Tongue-in-cheek names aside, the sub shop's menu is simple and doesn't require fancy machinery. This is a good thing. The space, which formerly housed a vintage consignment boutique, has no kitchen. 

"We have a convection oven on steroids for the subs that are hot, and also to roast garlic," says Makayla.

They use crock pots for keeping the daily soups and the Wednesday meatballs warm and ready to serve. The signature touches are all in the ingredients and the house-made sauces, like the "Dayonnaisse" Danny makes with mayo, roasted garlic, rosemary, basil and other seasonings. 

Nearly three months into their craving-turned-career, the Clantons remain hands-on at the shop and say they'll keep up their presence there, seven days a week.

"We do it ourselves," says Makayla. "We're the sub-slingers."  

The "biggest learn" so far was understanding the building permit process and city codes, says Makayla. 

"But there hasn't really been a downside to this."

L-Dub Subs

• Open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.