by Dan Kadar

Reporter

Tallmadge -- Beginning Sept. 25, an old franchise with a new concept will be open to customers at 208 Tallmadge Circle.

Zieman Restaurant Co. is opening its first business with a Little Caesars "hot and ready" style location.

The "hot and ready" concept allows customers to stop in and purchase an already prepared 14-inch, 10-slice pizza.

"We don't want to align ourselves with a cheap pizza, we want to be an inexpensive pizza," Scott Zieman said. "If we were selling a product we felt we couldn't stand behind or be proud to sell, we wouldn't sell it."

The location doesn't offer a dine-in or delivery service and the Ziemans suggest if a specialty pizza is being ordered that customers should call ahead. Also on the menu is Crazy Bread, Italian cheese bread, three flavors of baked chicken wings and Pepsi products.

The brothers have criss-crossed the country working their way up in the food service industry and have 30 years experience between them. Before deciding to open up their own business, Jason Zieman was running the Chicago market for Arby's, while Scott Zieman was running the Colorado Springs Arby's market. When they looked for their own businesses location, they wanted to make sure it was close to their Columbus home.

The brothers said they traveled all around Summit County before "falling in love" with the location on the Circle. They said they especially liked this location because of its direct access to South and Southwest avenues.

"We think this is a fabulous location," Jason. "Tallmadge is a wonderful place to be and we couldn't be more thrilled to be right here."

Pat Sauner, the city's director of economic development, said the 3,050-square-foot building has been vacant for a year and half.

"It's nice to have someone in there," Sauner said. "It's good for the city and good to have activity on the Circle and maybe it will attract other [businesses]."

The building originally housed Lawson's Dairy and, later, Dairy Mart. To convert it to a pizzeria, the Ziemans hired Ball General Contractors of Tallmadge for construction as well as local architect Jim Evans. It has taken about 50 days to revamp the building.

"We're trying to make a living here and grow our business in Tallmadge, we want to make sure we're also giving back, too," said Scott, adding, "Everyone who's worked for us has been so great."

The Ziemans wouldn't say exactly how much money has been put into starting the franchise, but did say it has cost "several hundred thousand dollars." Overall, the only thing remaining from the original building structure is the bricks.

Sauner said site owner Howard Myers was looking for a national chain to occupy the location. Previously, Sheetz gas station and Rite Aid were considered, but plans fell through and the Rite Aid decided to open its new location on East Avenue.

"It's a high-quality item that we're very proud to sell," Scott said, adding, "Next, and more importantly, by being able to deliver our food quickly, we give people time back in their day.

"Gone are the times when you have to call and wait for your pizza to be ready in an hour. Gone are the times of being told to come in a half an hour, only to be told that it's not ready yet. Now, if you call up, we'll have that pizza ready in 10 minutes -- even on a Friday."

The location employs 44 and about 16 will be working per shift putting pizzas and other menu items together.

"It's all about the people working on an assembly line and then tossing it in the oven," Jason said. "If you want a cheese and pepperoni pizza, which is what 90 percent of what pizza eaters get, you can come right in and get it."

The location will also serve as the corporate headquarters for the Zieman Restaurant Co. Next year, the parking lot will be repaved and the Ziemans said they are considering installing a drive-through.

Eventually, the brothers would like to open other locations in the area. For now, though, they're just happy to be selling pizza in Tallmadge.

"Some of the best times in your life have been over a pizza," Jason said. "Birthday parties, family events, when you're out with friends, at sporting events -- pizza is a feel-good food. Combine that with the fast food aspect of things and it's great. The hardest part is going to be getting the word out to everybody that we're no longer 'Pizza, Pizza' but 'Hot and Ready.'"

Little Caesars will be open Fridays and Saturdays, from 10:30 a.m. to midnight and Sundays through Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call at 330-630-1339.

E-mail:dkadar@recordpub.com

Phone:330-686-3911