By Andreas Yilma, Staff Writer
PROSPECT — The owners of Hometown Pizza are looking to move and expand the business about 1,000 feet down the road.
Vigan Pacuku, who is co-owner of Hometown Pizza with his family, said they are planning to move the business from 47 Waterbury Road to the former Prospect Dairy Bar, which closed in 2019, at 29 Waterbury Road. He said the family bought the former Prospect Dairy Bar.
“We want to expand and make it a little bigger,” Pacuku said.
Hometown Pizza, which also has locations in Wallingford, Thomaston and Litchfield, has been in town for 28 years. Pacuku said customers have said that the eatery is good for takeout but the restaurant doesn’t have enough space for dining.
Pacuku said the plan is to leave the former Prospect Dairy Bar building intact, remodel the outside patio, and renovate inside, including putting in a brand new kitchen. He said the new restaurant will have about 50 seats inside and 25 seats on the patio.
The Planning and Zoning Commission heard plans for the new restaurant at its July 7 meeting.
“The existing structure will remain, but the inside is going to be completely modified,” John Ricci, president of Ricci Construction Group, Inc., told the commission.
Ricci, who is working with the Pacuku family, said the remodeling will include new insulation, sheet rock, electrical components, HVAC and plumbing at the 2,800-square-foot building. There will also be two new handicap bathrooms, he said.
The remodeling plan calls for raising the kitchen ceiling to 9.5 feet to match the ceiling in the dining room. Workers will remove the flat roof and install a cable roof, Ricci said.
The stoves and freezers from the restaurant will be moved to the new building. The new location will have a walk-in cooler and a couple of pizza ovens, Ricci said.
The commission didn’t raise any objections to the plan or beginning work to remodel inside the building. The commission will need to approve a site plan for the project as well as a special permit application for liquor to be sold at the new restaurant.
Pacuku said the work is expected to take about five months. He said the plan is to move into the new restaurant this fall.
