Domino’s Pizza moved into a new facility on Monday — perhaps the first one of its kind in Kitsap County. It’s being called a “pizza theater” by the Ann-Arbor, Mich.-based fast-food chain.
Owner Steve Gaube, and his wife, Liz, worked last weekend taking care of little “odds and ends” for the new store’s opening day. The store, in the same shopping center as its old location, is about 2,000 square feet. The old store was 1,000 square feet.
The new location, 3289 SE Lund Ave., Suite 181, is white inside with red trim and signage.
“In the Seattle area, all the new stores are being built similar to ours,” said Gaube, who also owns stores in Gig Harbor and Poulsbo.
Domino’s has been given a full-market facelift over the past year that features a reimaging and redesign of stores.
The new design includes a comfortable lobby, open-area viewing of the food preparation process and the ability to track carryout orders electronically on a lobby screen.
“It will track the order,” Gaude said “If it’s in the oven, it will tell you.”
The store also features a chalkboard to allow customers to express their creativity or to leave feedback for the store team members.
Gaude said the new reimaging and redesigning started in the Seattle Metro market.
“It seen pretty good success,” said Gaude. “We’re a good thing, but making it better.”
He said Domino’s examined markets in other locations in the U.S. Gaude said recently a store in Las Vegas went through the redesign.
“It’s a hefty investment, but the success has been there,” Gaude said. “It’s been proven to work.”
Gaude started working for Domino’s in Dallas, Texas, in June 1981 after working a Mr. Gatti’s Pizza.
He saw an advertisement of a store in Port Orchard for sale.
“I had a former South Kitsap High School graduate working for me in Texas and he told me how great a place Port Orchard was,” said Gaude. “I flew up here to check it out. I like the area, thought there was a lot of room for growth and definitely was an area I liked.”
Gaude and his family has lived in the area since 1987.
He said the store has a great customer base and employees.
“We have a great group of employees here and my average employee has been with me for about 10 years,” said Gaude. “I have a nice clean staff who represents Domino’s well.”
The store will employee about 27 employees — full and part-time, including 20 drivers.
Gaude said the location is very central to the store’s delivery area and he expects an increase in business with the indoor dining.
“I think we’ll gain in all aspects,” he said.
Gaude said the new store will have products, such as salads and cookies, for sale.
“All our products are made fresh every morning,” he added.
He is also looking at placing a television, along with other decorations. Music also will be provided for customers to enjoy while waiting for an order or eating in.
Throughout the chain, Domino’s carryout business has roughly doubled in recent years, to about 30 percent of sales, according to the company.
In recent years, Domino’s has expanded its menu with items such as pasta, sub sandwiches and cheese-stuffed bread. Domino’s is the second-largest pizza chain the U.S., behind Pizza Hut.