Papa John’s celebrate anniversary and new building
A ribbon cutting held on Dec. 8 at the new Papa John’s location was attended by city and county officials. (Josie Sellers)
Being in business 25 years is a big reason to celebrate, but Papa John’s pizza made their celebration even bigger by moving to a brand new building on Cambridge Road where Pretty Products was located.
Noah Gallagher has been the general manager of the Coshocton location since 2013. “There were three main reasons we wanted to move. One – Joe (Hogue, owner of Papa John’s pizza) decided it was time to build our own building. We had been renting our location for 25 years. Two – We wanted a more centralized location. It’s only a few blocks different, but this gives us the ability to get our pizzas delivered a little quicker, so they arrive hotter. And three – we wanted to bring business back to an area that has been sort of down since Pretty’s left.”
“It was sad to drive up Cambridge Road and seeing an empty lot. Growing up, I was used to seeing a bustling factory there. Our idea being on Cambridge Road was we could catch after school traffic and traffic after school events. Parents can order something online and we’ll have it ready and waiting for them when they are done at school,” said Gallagher.
Gallagher said he has heard from several people who live near the new location that they are happy to see Papa John’s so close. “They say it’s going to be so easy to stop in and grab a pizza.” The new location will not have a dining area but will have delivery, pick up and a drive thru window. “Inside seating means we need almost double the staff we have.” The restaurant currently has 10 employees.
Online ordering is available. “I’d say that is the biggest change I’ve seen in all my years here. When I started, 100% of our orders came in by phone. Now, I’d say 60-70% are online orders and only 30-40% are by phone.”
Gallagher said making pizza is an art that needs to be learned. “People like to come in and watch us toss balls of dough. They say we make it look easy. I tell them to get a damp washrag and try throwing it between your hands. They always come back and say it’s a lot harder than it looks.”
“We just want to say thank you to the community of Coshocton and all of our customers for being so loyal. Without them, none of us would have jobs. It’s so important to thank customers and let them know how much we appreciate them. They could always choose somewhere else to get their pizza, but they choose us to feed their family.”
A ribbon cutting held on Dec. 8 at the new location was attended by city and county officials.
“Congratulations and welcome to Cambridge Road and having a drive thru and thank you for using local contractors,” said Amy Crown, executive director of the Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce. “This is a beautiful new location that still has spaces for lease.”
Coshocton City Mayor Mark Mills thanked the Hogues for making the move from Chestnut Street to Cambridge Road.
“This is a new beginning for Papa John’s and creates space for future expansion on Cambridge Road,” Mills said. “It’s local people supporting the local economy.”
Gary Fischer spoke on behalf of the Coshocton County Board of Commissioners.
“Thank you for making this investment in Coshocton,” he said. “I’ve known Noah and Ed (his dad) for a long time and know Papa John’s is in good hands and has been in good hands.”
Hours for Papa John’s will be Sunday – Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight. The phone number is 740-623-8483.
Category: Business
