All up in your business

Burger chain to open

Five Guys Burgers and Fries will open early August.

“The popularity of Five Guys has gotten to the point that Chapel Hill needs one,” general manager David Dinkins said.

The restaurant will be in Meadowmont Village.

The menu will feature hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese and vegetable sandwiches witha wide array of toppings to choose from.

It will have only one side item, french fries, which will be fried in peanut oil.

Dinkins said he is expecting a lot of business at the new location.

“People come by the restaurant everyday asking if it is open,” Dinkins said.

He said the restaurant will announce a friends and family day to give away free food.

The restaurant is slated to open on Aug. 2.

New ‘meeting place’

Piola, an international chain of Italian restaurants, is coming to East 54 this month.

“The restaurant was started by two brothers in Italy,” said owner and UNC alumnus David Reynolds.

“All the food is completely authentic,”

The restaurant will be located near U.S. 15-501 and N.C. 54.

Reynolds said he decided to open another location after the success of the Raleigh restaurant.

“This location has always appealed to me. When I was in school it was an old motel. It is also a growing area,” he said.

The restaurant will also feature work by local artists.

“The word piola means ‘meeting place’ in Italian. I want the restaurant to become a part of the community,” he said.

Pizza revamped

The Papa John’s on Franklin Street reopened early July after extensive renovations.

“It is essentially a brand-new store,” shift manager Robert Lyons said.

“We have new counters, new floors, new ceilings and new paint on the walls.”

The store was closed for eight days last week.

Lyons said the upgrade was a long time coming.

“The store has been here for a while. It was high time for an upgrade. I hope we get a good reception,” Lyons said.

The renovations were funded by the corporate office.

Lyons said the chain has no new plans for the upcoming year.

Papa John’s is the third largest pizza chain in the world.

New Gumby’s owner

Gumby’s Pizza has new ownership.

Montell Vannerman worked at four different Gumby’s and was a manager at the Franklin Street location where he took on his new role in June.

“This was financial investment, but I have always been a fan of Gumby’s. It is a great time to join the company,” Vannerman said.

He said he hopes to update the menu and improve customer service.

“We want to take some items off the menu and hire friendlier staff,” he said. “These are all needed changes. I want to improve the whole Gumby’s experience.”

Vannerman said it has been a difficult transition from owner to manager.

“It has definitely been stressful. I have missed my sleep.”

Look for new desserts and pizzas this fall.