Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, 434 E. College Ave., offers a new option for State College residents living or traveling on the eastside of downtown.

The sandwich shop, which already had a location at 220 W. College Ave., opened the East College Avenue site Saturday in reaction to business, said Kimberly Smith, a spokeswoman for Jimmy John's corporate office.

The demand for the store's product has been growing, and the business wanted to make sure it could meet demands and "have dynamite delivery," Smith said.

Though the restaurant's new location isn't as centralized and busy as its location on West College Avenue, Jimmy John's is still experiencing a growth in business at its new location, she said.

Jimmy John's replaced CC Pepper's on East College Avenue, which also served sandwiches.

Though CC Pepper's closed due to the owner's need to consolidate her business, business was also slowing down on East College Avenue, CC Pepper's owner, Cassandra Lopez said.

Because the university is expanding to the north and to the west, "traffic on the eastern end of town isn't what it used to be 10 years ago," Lopez said.

Now, most students spend their time in the central part of campus, she added.

Teresa Sparacino, executive director of State College's Downtown Improvement District, disagreed that the student traffic has been slowing down on the eastern portion of downtown.

In the past year, a wide variety of stores have opened on that side of town, Sparacino said.

"We're starting to see a lot more businesses downtown," she said.

Many of these businesses are expanding to that part of State College because of the heavy student population in that area, Sparacino added.

Jimmy John's, the newest addition to East College Avenue, is "a nice addition to the eastern part of town" because it adds convenience to students looking for a good meal, she said.

Jimmy John's is a good choice for students because it's open late and delivers until 3 a.m., Smith said. This makes the restaurant a popular choice for those who are leaving the bars or up late studying, she said.

"We really cater to all the kids who have late night snack attacks," Smith added.

Jimmy John's has experienced a great deal of business since it opened, Smith said. The new location is sparking business instead of dividing old business between two locations, she said.

"Whenever we open a new store in the same market, we get brand awareness," Smith added.

People who have never heard of Jimmy John's decide to try its food.

"We're just doing great -- it's awesome," Smith said.