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Sailing rivals turned friends open Capriotti’s Sandwich Shops in Selden and Hauppauge

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Competition really is a good thing. Just ask entrepreneurs Walter Henry and William Denslow.

The longtime pals met three decades ago while racing sailboats against each other on the Long Island Sound. Over the course of their sea battles, they learned they had a boatload in common.

Uniting their mutual passion for food, the friends recently opened Capriotti’s Sandwich Shops in Selden and Hauppauge. Craved for its award-winning, hand-crafted cheesesteaks, turkey subs and vegitarian subs, Capriotti’s is a franchised restaurant chain that counts about 170 locations across the country.

“Running a business with your buddy is a great experience, especially with a partner like Bill,” said Henry, a chef for 36 years who has specialized in developing sandwich brands. He has developed more than 80 restaurants in the area.

“We’re ready to make Capriotti’s a staple here on Long Island by providing a great menu with quality products,” he added.

Denslow was an aircraft carrier pilot during the Vietnam War, became a commercial banker, and then ran his own venture capital fund.

The new Capriotti’s in Hauppauge is located at 373 Smithtown Bypass. It opened Aug. 30. In October, Capriotti’s opened at 253 Middle Country Road in Selden.

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shops have been around for 45 years, boasting a tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house and hand-pulling them each morning.

Some of the chain’s more popular sandwiches include The Bobbie®, made with fresh oven-roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo; the Capastrami, made with hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and homemade coleslaw; and the cheesesteak, made with premium steak, chicken or Impossible plant-based meat and melted cheese, plus hot or sweet peppers.

Photo Credit: Capriotti’s Sandwich Shops on Facebook

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