NICK LUNDIN TOOK over Scott’s Subs in Iron River from Scott Radloff in July 2017 but agreed to keep the menu, which has 50 selections. He’s even adding to the list. (Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo)

IRON RIVER — When Scott’s Subs first opened in Iron River in 1985, the restaurant boasted a grand total of seven sandwiches.

Three decades later, the shop has become an icon in the community and has 50 selections on the menu, including a new pasty sub.

Scott Radloff was behind the original Scott’s Subs in the previous “Friendly Store” building. But after starting a second Scott’s Subs in De Pere, Wis., in 2014, Radloff decided to move to the Green Bay area.

Nick Lundin grew up in De Pere and moved to Caspian in 2015, purchasing a home from Radloff.

But Lundin’s parents, Jean (Bigari) Lundin and the late Tom Lundin, both were from Iron River.

“I’ve been coming here my whole life, and I’ve always wanted to live up here,” Lundin said. After graduating from De Pere High School, Lundin moved to Chicago and spent 20 years working the railroad terminals on the city’s South Side.

He eventually followed his dream of moving to the Iron River area, first working for his uncle at Bigari’s Ace Hardware before approaching Radloff about purchasing Scott’s Subs.

He took ownership of the business at 321 W. Adams St. in July 2017, with Radloff retaining Scott’s Subs and Pizza in De Pere. The De Pere connection, he said, is purely coincidental.

Lundin and his wife, Ann, have three children; Carolyn, Nathan and Abel. Ann is a special education teacher at West Iron County School.

Although they are not officially franchised, Lundin does have an agreement with Radloff to keep the original menu in Iron River.

“The main menu has to stay the same, but we can do whatever we want on top of that,” Lundin said, adding that’s just fine with him, because he has no desire to change it. “It’s pretty awesome. I can’t complain,” he said.

What Lundin enjoys most about his new career is the people he meets in the shop. “Learning everyone’s stories, where they are coming from, where they are going to,” he said. A large map of the United States on the wall of the business marks where patrons have traveled from. “They all the love the map,” he said.

The Iron River shop has five employees and maintains a good business selling sub sandwiches made with home-baked bread, thin and original crust pizza, soups, wraps, salads and ice cream.

Their best-selling subs are the No. 5, The Philly, made with steak, provolone, onion, mushroom, green pepper, mayo and butter; and the No. 34, The Favorite, a hot sandwich with chicken, bacon, American cheese, tomato, onion, lettuce, and mayo.

“It’s called The Favorite for a reason,” Lundin said.

The original pasty sub is also picking up momentum. Made with steak, potato, and onion on buttered toast, Lundin said the sandwich is selling well, and “people seem to like it.” They also offer their subs in the form of a wrap or as a salad.

The pizzas also are big sellers, with favorites such as the Meat Extravaganza and The Works along with specialties such as Hawaiian BBQ, Chicken Alfredo and Yooper Philly.

Homemade root beer and ice cream take care of the customers sweet tooth. “We carry 24 flavors of ice cream from May until now, but we keep eight flavors all winter,” Lundin said.

Lundin said the business gets great feedback on Facebook, Yelp, and Google. Google gives the shop a 4.8-star rating and Yelp 5 stars.

“Three ladies from Florida drove up here for the first time ever, just to see the colors,” Lundin said. “They picked this place because it has the most stars in town.”