Chris Randall Sorensen, co-founder of Firehouse Subs and a man whose life spanned careers as a firefighter, musician, entrepreneur and philanthropist, died Oct. 11. He was 65.
According to an obituary from Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, Sorensen passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family. He was born Oct. 16, 1960, in Jacksonville, Florida, and had called St. Johns County home for the past 30 years.
From guitar to fire station to franchise
Before opening Firehouse Subs, Sorensen was a professional musician and gifted guitarist who sat in with bands including Earth, Wind & Fire, Lonestar, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Huey Lewis and the News, and Foreigner.
He later followed his father into the fire service, working with the Brevard County Fire Department, the Jacksonville International Airport Fire and Rescue Department, and ultimately the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, where he served more than 10 years as an engineer and EMT.
In 1994, Sorensen and his brother Robin — bonded by a love of great food — opened Firehouse Subs. Over 27 years, they grew it to more than 1,200 locations with over $1 billion in annual system sales before selling to Restaurant Brands International in 2021.
Giving back
In 2005, Sorensen co-founded the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which has since awarded more than $118 million in grants to 7,700 departments across the United States and Canada. He considered it his most meaningful professional achievement.
Celebration of life
A Celebration of Life will take place Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, at 10 a.m. at The Church of Eleven22 on Longleaf Pine Parkway in St. Johns County.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Eric Sorensen Motor Speech Program at Brooks Rehabilitation or the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
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