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Quizno's fights for tunes Photo by Andy Atkinson Gene Copley, who operates two Quizno's sandwich shops in Medford, is clashing with the chain's corporate office over the music he plays in the restaurants. Corporate office wants Christian music halted in two Medford shops By DAVID PRESZLER The background music at Quizno's is at the forefront of a disagreement between the owner of the two Medford sandwich shops and the chain's corporate office. Since he opened the first store on Biddle Road 14 months ago, Gene Copley has played Christian music over the restaurant's sound system. But when Quizno's corporate representatives came for the opening of his second store in Southside Center at Riverside and Stewart avenues last month, they told Copley the religious tunes had to go. "It was a huge surprise," Copley said. "I'd been playing it since I opened up. I was really mad at first." Copley has appealed to Quizno's corporate office in Denver and will be allowed to play the music at both stores until January, when he plans to travel to Denver to discuss the issue. Jeff Branton, who is handling the appeal for Quizno's, declined to comment, calling it an internal matter. He referred questions to Quizno's marketing department; no one was available there Monday. Copley says Quizno's officials are demanding that he play Muzak provided by Quizno's in the stores. He contends that the chain originally approved the Christian music and that the chain's operating manual allows him to play CDs of his choice. "Their response is that we aren't against Christian music, we are against playing other types of music," Copley says. "I don't know if it's the Christian thing or not. "If I was playing secular music, would they have noticed and would they really care?" He has posted a sign in both stores, asking customers to write letters to the company supporting or opposing the music. Customers can write to Quizno's chief executive officer Rick Schader at Denver Place, Plaza Tower, 1099 18th St. Suite 2850, Denver, CO 80200 or send letters to Schader in care of Copley at 1089 Medford Center No. 316, Medford OR 97504. Copley has collected 120 letters in the two weeks since the sign went up and plans to take them to Denver with him. He's read about 30 and says all support the music. In the 14 months Quizno's has been open here, Copley says he's gotten only one complaint about the Christian music, that coming from a man who said he didn't "want to be preached at." "The two things I hear the most is that the bread is excellent and that they like the music," he said Monday, noting that two young women were holding a Bible study in the restaurant as he spoke. "They come down specifically because I play Christian music." Copley says his bottom line also testifies to customers' support of the music, noting that his sales rank in the chain's top 10 percent. The controversy is the second disagreement he's had with the chain over religious issues. He says he was originally given permission not to open his stores on Sundays but was later told he must. Despite his concerns, Copley says he's happy with the chain in general and doesn't regret his decision to purchase the franchise rights. "There's no animosity," he adds. "They understand where I'm coming from and I also understand where they are coming from." And he says that if his appeal fails, the Christian music will fall silent in his stores. "You want to be a good witness and you have to abide by man's law," he says. "I will abide by whatever they say. It probably won't go through but you never give up until the last person says `no."' Today's Business Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA