In 1915, Salvatore Lando left his home in Ucria, Sicily to travel to America to give his wife and three sons a better life, and arrived in Massachusetts.

One of the Salvatore’s sons, Carl, was a respected schoolteacher in Waltham, Massachusetts. Although it was an honorable job, he had a greater visions for his son Sal’s future. So in 1968 he remortgaged his house to give his son a chance at the American Dream.

With this support from his father, Sal Lando opened Tory’s Subs and Pizza on the corner of Waltham Street and Parker Street in Maynard, MA. There he worked seven days a week to give provide his family with a good life. Unfortunately, in 1972 that store was taken by fire.

Pulling together as a family to rebuild, Tory’s reopened in 1973 on lower Main Street across from Digital Equipment Corporation (a/k/a: The Mill). It was a much smaller location that was too confined to serve pizza—but served the biggest and best cheese steak subs. It was such a success, in 1980 he opened up another location: Carl’s Steak Subs in Waltham, MA in honor of his late father.

Both of Sal’s sons (Tory and Carl) worked in the stores all through their school years. Then in 1983, the building in Maynard that Tory’s Subs and Pizza occupied was sold.

It was then that Sal gave his two sons another opportunity for a chance at the American Dream. He bought a commercial building on downtown Main Street where Tory and Carl opened up T.C. Lando’s Sub & Pizzeria. They started serving the old family recipe for Italian Pizza. Tory and Carl Worked hard to build up the business, and felt it was time to open up another location. So in 1989, the youngest brother (Eric) decided to come on board and T.C. Lando’s Sub & Pizzeria was opened in Hudson, MA. Things couldn’t have been better and everything was running smoothly.

Suddenly, in 1998, an uncontrollable fire started in the basement of Salsalito’s Resturant in Maynard, which neighbored T.C. Lando’s. The building was a complete loss. It was a very difficult time for the family as again, they were then struck by another fire.

Overcome by adversities, T.C. Lando’s was relocated in Acton, MA to a smaller location. In time the Lando family got their feet back on the ground and decided to open another location: Tory’s Steak Subs in Leominster (one again bringing back the original name).

Now, nearly 40 years after the doors opened for the first time, you can still get the best steak subs and pizza — in four great locations that are still owned and operated by the Lando family.

Gratification resides in the feedback they get from their customers. Carl’s Steak Subs got a high-powered Phantom Gourmet review for their over-stuffed and mouth-watering cheesesteak subs. Even Mr. Takuya from Japan was impressed as his postcard expressed “Your Cheesesteak subs are the best in all America!” Many other customers have expressed their pleasure from as far away as Norway and even Tel Aviv.