Domino’s closed while looking for new owner
Charleston’s Domino’s Pizza is closed while those in charge look for potential owner-operators said Tim McIntyre, the vice president for communications for Domino’s Pizza.
The contract with the former franchisee owner was terminated and Domino’s Pizza is hoping to “reopen the store as soon as we can,” McIntyre said, via email.
McIntyre also said no timeline is established for the anticipated reopening.
Paul Pagliai, the owner of Pagliai’s Pizza, said he was not sure if Domino’s was closed and he said he went by (the building) and said he saw the lights off.
Greg Magnus, the owner of Chubby’s Pizza, said he does not mind Domino’s closing because it means more business for him, but also said he does not enjoy seeing a business fail.
“I’m really kind of surprised by it,” Pagliai said.
Pagliai said when Domino’s first came to Charleston in the late ’70s or early ’80s, they were one of the few places that delivered, but he said now almost every place in town delivers.
“There is a lot of delivery service out there that you are competing with,” Pagliai said.
Pagliai said he knows most of the pizza places deliver in town, as well as most of the Chinese restaurants and barbecue places.
“The delivery business is pretty fractured anymore,” Pagliai said. “Deliveries keep becoming a smaller and smaller portion of our business.”
Pagliai said the timing of the closing also surprised him.
“It used to be when the students would leave (for the summer) years ago, when they made a larger portion of our business, I hated to see the summers come,” he said.
Pagliai said he also noticed an increase in the number of people who dine and carry out.
Chelsie Clapp, a night crew leader at Little Caesar’s, said the business they have received has increased.
“We have just gotten a lot busier since they have closed,” Clapp said.
Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-2812 or kjrichter@eiu.edu.
