Pizza Hut on Washtenaw Avenue closes its doors
Pizza Hut closed in late July.
Chelsea Hoedl I AnnArbor.com
After closing in late July, the Pizza Hut at 2407 Washtenaw Ave., in Ypsilanti Township, has placed a sign on its door directing customers to its location on Carpenter Road.
The large, white Pizza Hut letters have been removed from the roof of the building and the sign by the road is blank. It's not clear what will happen to the building.
The property owner is listed as Atlantic Development Corporation located in Greenfield PK, Quebec, Canada.
The franchise owner and corporate representatives could not be reached for comment.
The Pizza Hut at 3045 Carpenter Road, in Pittsfield Township, will be able to accommodate most of the closed location’s clientele, but delivery will no longer be available east of Lowell Street, according to the Pizza Hut website.
Pizza Hut has more than 37,000 locations worldwide with restaurants in more than 117 countries and territories, according to its website.
Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.
Comments
Harold
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 11:28 a.m.
This was the first Pizza Hut franchised store in the country & the first Pizza Hut in Michigan. I worked there in the late 70's & early 80's. Everything was made fresh daily. Now everything is pre packaged. We made the dough twice a day. Now it comes in frozen. I had a pizza from Rawsonville Rd last week. Was overcharged by $2 on the pizza; the dough was not fresh; no sause, cheese or toppings on the pizza; hard breadsticks. I commented on their web page for comments & have not even received a comment back to verify at least receiving my comment. This shows the Pizza Hut quality is no longer anything they want to endorse. There used to be a line out the door on Friday nights, over 200 Ypsi High students for buffet on the last day of school. We had a lot of people stop in after Ypsi High & EMU games. In the last year I would only see one car in the lot & that was the delivery car. Pizza Hut needs to up their quality or lose their #1 ranking. Even Domino's is making efforts to change their image. Closing the oldest Pizza Hut in Michigan has to set a fire under somebody at the National office! Washtenaw used to be a haven of fast food in that area, but now there is nothing. It is sad to see it go, but Pizza Hut brought it on themselves. Serving bad pizza in a town with a ton of delivery places!
KateT
Wed, Aug 14, 2013 : 11:35 a.m.
My son read at home at least 5 times a week during the school year at Carpenter, and he earned a personal pizza and medal from Pizza Hut each year. It was a great motivator for him, and it was fun to walk over to the Carpenter Road one and collect the pizza while big sis was at Girl Scouts. The pizza was greasy, but the people were nice, my son enjoyed it, and what do you want for free? :-)
Lizzy Alfs
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:40 p.m.
The closure does create opportunity for another restaurant. Curious to see what will open here..the building isn't being marketed for sale or lease yet -- at least not online.
obviouscomment
Sun, Aug 11, 2013 : 1:07 p.m.
So far that stretch is only successful for national chain fast food restaurants...I would like to see a restaurant be successful there but only time will tell. I will say, the Washtenaw Ave Taco Bell is the best in this area :)
Paul
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:47 p.m.
Oh yeah, one place flopped but another place is going to make it big, dream on.
Hmm
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:01 p.m.
Man I remember going there as kid back in the late 80's. It was always a special treat for us kids
Tom Joad
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 11:02 a.m.
Agree with Paul, gummy pizza , no thanks.
mady
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 8:11 p.m.
maybe some of us old folks like our Gummy Pizza sonny! ;)
obviouscomment
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:35 a.m.
Pizza Huts in Michigan are no good. My family is from Fort Wayne area in Indiana and the Pizza Huts there have Bistros and and much wider and more delicious menu. The Pizza definitely tastes different there and our friends we've brought with us agree. Their restaurants are cleaner with a much more comfortable sit-down restaurant atmosphere, not like these dingy styled ones here.. They have these delicious large bread sticks that you dip in a seasoned cheese sauce (Olive Garden style bread sticks but with different seasoning and a little thicker). Their pizza lunch buffets are the best...they will bring out any pizza you want on any crust. I definitely suggest if you are driving through Indiana that you try a Pizza Hut down there, it's a completely different experience. I wish they would open those kind here.
Paul
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:46 p.m.
The freeway rest stops are much nicer in Indian also, Michigan thinks not having running water for the urinals is cute of something. It stinks more like it
ez12c
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:08 p.m.
It's interesting to notice a difference like that. I have said for a few years now that our Pizza Huts need to be leveled and start with a fresh building. Sticky worn tables do nothing but hurt their image.
obviouscomment
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:35 a.m.
Sorry for all the typos...I'm tired...and now hungry for pizza in another state.
Machine
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:39 a.m.
Sorry for the people who may have lost jobs but they were never going to get my business anyways. I haven't had Pizza Hut since about 1983. It's just not that good in my opinion.
Paul
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:42 p.m.
At one time, before 1983 I believe, pizza hut was really good, they had a full lunch buffet and was the place to go for lunch. They offered pizza of course but then also had spaghetti and salads all for one low price, all you could eat
LifesBeenGood
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2 a.m.
The pizza business is very competitive in a college town. The Pizza Hut brand in general seems to be rather stale.
metrichead
Sat, Aug 10, 2013 : 1:22 a.m.
I'd agree. Same can be said for Domino's.
Sparty
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 3:16 a.m.
They are the largest pizza brand, I believe ?
jrigglem
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:18 a.m.
Maybe I'm completely oblivious or just forgetful but there was a Pizza Hut on Washtenaw? Where?
jrigglem
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:21 a.m.
Nevermind, googled the address, I'm just really forgetful. It's been about 4 years since I've been down there regularly...
Basic Bob
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:14 a.m.
We went to this one about once a month recently. It's a coin flip whether this one or Carpenter is closer, but this one was easier to get to. I just noticed yesterday the sign was down. Unfortunately for them, I'm not driving to Carpenter and Packard for pizza. There's Mr. Pizza, Happy's, Jet's, Little Caesar's cold and old, Marco's, Papa John's....
mady
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 8:10 p.m.
"Little Caesar's cold and old"! too right! thanks for the chuckle.
Machine
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 2:40 a.m.
Remember the old Mr. Pizza ads on TV? In college, my fraternity brothers and I always used to comment on how attractive the woman in the Mr. Pizza ads was. Where is she now? Mr. Pizza and Full House Restaurant always had the best locally produced TV ads on cable.
Paul
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:44 p.m.
Never understood what is so great about pizza, just bread, cheese and tomato sauce and any extra toppings. I can make a sandwich at home and use mayonnaise vs tomato sauce cause you use fresh slice tomatoes on your sandwich
Paul
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 5:34 p.m.
Interesting comments, i just find pizza is more for lunch vs dinner
John Gotts
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 1:24 a.m.
Believe it or not, I dislike fresh tomatoes but enjoy tomato sauce. I've talked to several people who are like me, and we agree that there is something in fresh tomatoes that most people can't taste. It might be the seeds. Whatever it is, I don't like it. The same goes for mayo, and anything containing that ingredient. Potato salad, macaroni salad, all disgusting to me. On the other hand, pizza is a food that I enjoy, whether I prepare it myself at home or get one to go!
brian
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 11:55 p.m.
Your not Italian like me, just keep making your own creation capiche?
Honest Abe
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 11:23 p.m.
What's wrong with you?
Jake C
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 11:13 p.m.
Never understood what is so great about sandwiches, just bread, mayo and tomatoes. I can make food at home, I just go and eat some grass and herbs out of my lawn like a cow or a goat would. Mmm, grass.
jns131
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:20 p.m.
The other employees will be farmed out or collect unemployment if they have enough time in. But from the sounds of it? I am not surprised. The one on Michigan ave closed years ago and reopened and closed again due to armed bandits and robberies. I am wondering if they had trouble like the Coney place did. Bad stuff coming in. Looks like this franchise as well as Arby's is closing its doors to the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor crowd. Glad to see them go though. Pizza is not as good as some I have had.
LaMusica
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 9:38 p.m.
I honestly had no idea that location was still open until July. Does anyone know if any of the other employees are able to work at the Carpenter location?
LaMusica
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:53 p.m.
Thank you for the update! That's good to hear.
Chelsea Hoedl
Fri, Aug 9, 2013 : 12:33 p.m.
LaMusica, it is my understanding that many - if not all - of the employees from the Washtenaw location were transferred to the Carpenter Road restaurant.
LaMusica
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 11:05 p.m.
Thanks John, I wondered why too!
John
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:59 p.m.
I don't know the answer to any of those questions, but I do find it hilariously odd that you have now been downvoted twice for asking them. Must be a couple regulars.