At first glance it's a small sandwich shop in the lobby of a West 8th Street office building.
But it could also be a chance for a young person to learn a new craft.
Ribbon cutting took place for Franco's Express, 155 West 8th Street. Owner Larry Franco was joined by members of the Regional Center for Workforce Development and the Erie Downtown Partnership.
The business is an expansion of Franco's Cafe at 10th and State Streets and offers, sandwiches, soups, coffee and other drinks and snacks.
It also is using a program that underwrites part of a worker's salary if that worker is under 21 and wants to learn a specific trade.
"In the past kids have worked because their parents told them to," Franco told us. "The people are here to learn and get better."
Jamie Harvey is one of those people. She is using the program to learn both about food preparation and running a small business.
"Hopefully, me and Larry will be competition in the near future," she said, laughing.
The business, not all that coincidentally, is located across the lobby from the state's Careerlink facility.
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