Subway, 1551 Sherman Ave., will reopen its doors Monday after a nearly two-week renovation, the restaurant’s general manager said.

“Subway does require you to update your store decor every five to seven years,” said Rupal Patel, the general manager. “We did it earlier just to stay competitive.

“Especially with the kids right there on campus, they want it to be nice and hip-looking,” he said. “They don’t want to go somewhere to eat where it is old and junky-looking.”

The store, which closed Jan. 7, will feature a new interior design and a renovated restroom.

“It has got lots more seating than we used to have and better lighting than the older Subways,” Patel said.

The renovation will use Subway’s new “Tuscany Decor,” a design the company plans to use in many of its stores. The design features panels that depict the ingredients used in Subway’s sandwiches and a brick wall behind the sandwich-making area.

“All in all, it is not only pretty to look at, but it also tweaks the appetite of the customer,” said Subway’s public relations coordinator, Robert Wilson.

The chain began introducing the new design into its stores three years ago and renovates its older stores on a schedule. Eventually most of Subway’s restaurants will have the Tuscany Decor that Wilson calls “warm and inviting.”

The 14-year-old Evanston location, which includes a TCBY, was originally supposed to reopen last Tuesday, but construction and plumbing problems required a delay, Patel said.

To promote the grand reopening, Patel said she will advertise “buy one, get one free” coupons for sandwiches in local newspapers. She said she also hopes to attract pseudo-celebrity Jared Fogle, who lost 245 pounds in a year’s time by eating Subway sandwiches twice a day.

“We want to call Jared out to the store so he can sign autographs and take pictures during the summer,” Patel said. “He’s a celebrity for Subway. You have to book him six to seven months in advance.”

– Matt Presser