'Eating fresh' won't be a problem for Highland Home residents in the near future.

Construction crews are currently working to build a 1,050 square foot Subway located next to the United Food and Fuel Citgo just off Hwy. 331.

"I just felt like it was time because the town is growing," owner Teresa Stovall said. "It was time to bring something new in. I started looking around and got interested in Subway and just went from there. I've been working on this for two years. It feels wonderful to get things going. It's a little nerve-racking, but I think it's going to do real good."

The sandwich shop chain that touts its freshly made sandwiches will employ about eight people. Stovall said she is hoping construction will be completed by December, but believes the store will open in January of 2005.

Stovall looked into purchasing land for the fast food restaurant to be built on, but said the financial burden would be too much in addition to construction costs.

"I was looking to get some land, but by the time you bought the land and did the build out, it was going to cost so much," the 38-year-old Highland Home resident said. "So I talked with Mr. (Ben) McNeill about it and he decided that he would help me out by adjoining it to his store, building the building for me and I would lease it from him, but still own the business itself."

McNeill, who owns United Food and Fuel, believes the Subway will not only be beneficial to Stovall, but also his gas station and the community as a whole.

"I think it will help everybody," McNeill said. "I think it will create activity and I was glad to be able to work it out for Teresa. Subway has got some of the finest sandwiches. I eat them regularly. They're good, fresh sandwiches and I think it will be 100 percent positive."

Stovall said the total cost of the project will be about $250,000 including the Subway franchise fee and construction, equipment and startup costs.