Unconventional MadHouse Sandwich Shop Closes Its Doors

In June of 2012, Gino Sierra opened MadHouse Sandwich Shop, 10312 Bloomingdale Ave., with the hopes that his unique food a brash attitude would keep people coming back to his new spot. The shop recently hosted an event with the popular Cigar City Brewing Company of Tampa.

"Here, the customer is not always right. We are," he said. "I make a great sandwich and I don't allow any substitutions. I can get snarky, and sometimes downright rude about it. If the customer doesn't like it, he can go somewhere else." 

Today, the banner above the windows has been taken down and a yellow eviction notice is taped to the front door. Calls to the phone numbers listed on the shop's website lead to a recording saying the number is no longer in service. Emails and calls to Sierra for comment were not returned. However, on their Facebook page, they posted on December 24, that they were closing up shop, "Merry Christmas Eve kids!! This is it for us, our final day in Riverview... We will be open til 4 p.m. Merry Christmas, and again thanks for your support throughout the years."

Norman Leonard, who serves as property manager for the plaza where MadHouse was located confirmed that Sierra closed the doors to MadHouse on Christmas Eve. On Monday, January 7, 2013, the eviction notice was placed on the door and the managers of the property were spotted changing the locks and taking photographs of the property. They had no further information about the future of MadHouse. 

A story about the shop drew 24 comments when it was published on Bloomingdale-Riverview Patch in 2012. Some of the comments are crtical of Sierra for his use of profanity, while others supported his novel approach to customer service. Many of the comments appear to be from Sierra himself. 

Did you eat at MadHouse Sandwich Shop? What did you think of the food and the service?