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WEST ELLICOTT – The owner of a popular pizzeria is expanding his operations to West Ellicott.
John Raymond, Owner of Honest John’s Restaurant and Pizzeria on East Second Street in Jamestown, says he will open a sister location on Fairmount Avenue where the old Pizza Hut was located.
Raymond has been working hard this week to clean up and remodel the site.
He says the expansion gives him a great opportunity to serve new customers amid an increase in takeout and delivery orders caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When this all started, we were already very strong in takeout and delivery,” said Raymond. “In March and April, we had a 40 to 60 percent increase in online sales, we had to hire additional people in that time to help us get through.”
He says the demand has remained strong, even though his dining room has re-opened.
The new location will allow Raymond to offer an expanded delivery zone and enhanced pickup, through a new initiative he is calling “Curbside Express.”
“You are going to be able to pull in, place your order online, prepay for it, and hopefully get it in 10 minutes or less,” says Raymond. “We are going to have up to 15 different items available for that.”
Raymond says being able to rehire workers and create new jobs in the community is exciting for him.
He says in total around 15 to 18 new positions will be created when the Pizzeria opens its new location sometime in January.
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