By By Mary-Allison Lancaster Managing editor
When the nose of your vehicle inches toward the top of the hill and reaches Pizza Hut, you may be surprised to see a brand new roof and new signage that will cut out the block letters and incorporate a sharper image.
Good-bye red tin roof, hello new plum tin roof.
The roof isn't the only thing that's going to change over at Pizza Hut. The pizza facility is getting an entire facelift – inside and out.
Despite the damage the facility received during Hurricane Ivan, the pizza-style restaurant is open and will continue to remain open until 7 p.m. on May 22. That marks the day of a new look.
According to the Danny Smith, assistant manager at Pizza Hut, the entire Pizza Hut chain in the southeast is undergoing a major facelift.
He said the new facilities are moving away from the "romantic" image and developing a more "family-oriented atmosphere." That means splashing authentic Italian colors on the walls and acquiring new inside tables, chairs and light fixtures. The colors will most likely change to red, white and green-official Italian colors.
Smith said the menus changed in the beginning weeks of April, and will remain the same after the re-grand opening, which is scheduled for May 27.
Activities have not been planned yet and an official time in which the restaurant will open was not available to Smith. However, they plan on announcing everything on the radio and through other media outlets to get the message out about the festivities. Smith said that there was a possibility a fundraiser would go into effect where 20 percent of the proceeds would go to a special recipient.
Smith said that since the Flomaton restaurant reopened after its facelift, it has been very successful and more people have been responsive to the new look.
The restaurant can be seen from a distance modeling a stylish blue tarp a majority of the residents have been sporting since the hurricane. When the hurricane hit, the restaurant received damage on the tin roof, water damage inside, the insulation was destroyed and there was a complete product loss, Smith said.
One aspect that will not change is the hill. While some people experience uneasiness traveling up and down the hill, Smith said that being that high up gives a great perspective to the city.