Makin’ improvements

Caroline Gallego said hers was the last Pizza Hut in the area to be remodeled. It was worth the wait.

"They left the best for last," the general manager of the restaurant at 2113 Andrews Highway said.

The renovation, which she said cost around $500,000, brought a larger, totally new kitchen, which took over space from an old "party room." In the dining room are new tile floors, new tables and flat screen televisions - they're currently 19 inches, but are being sent back for 27-inch models.

Outside, the old red roof has been replaced.

And Gallego loves the larger windows.

"It's so open," she said. "It's so bright. There's more lighting."

And in October, Pizza Hut will be joined in the building by the first Wing Street location in the area. The restaurant offers eight flavors of chicken wings.

Pizza Hut just reopened after being closed for 2 1/2 weeks. Gallego said it had to shut down because of plumbing and gas line work.

Renovations to area stores owned by America's Pizza Co. have been going on since 2004.

The new design is causing a spike in interest in employment. Gallego said she's having to refer prospective job applicants to other locations.

"I don't even know what to do with my applications," she said.

District manager Irbin Otero said the changes were needed.

"We're just keeping up with the times," he said.