A healthy fast-food option will be making a comeback to Chatham by the end of the summer.
Pita Pit will set up shop in the plaza out front of Home Depot, in the northwest end of the city.
The person behind the operation is a devoted community resident who recognized the Chatham-Kent's craving for fresh foods.
"It was kind of a no-brainer for me - knowing the community and the town - that Pita Pit would do really well here, not only business-wise but also just providing those healthy options for people," said Dennis Dalton.
Dalton grew up in Chatham-Kent, attending McNaughton Avenue Public School and then Chatham Kent Secondary School. Now 26, Dalton is one of Pita Pit's newest franchisees. His storefront is scheduled to open at 818 St. Clair Street, ideally sometime in August.
Conversations with Pita Pit started back in October 2020, according to Dalton. As a 23-year-old at the time, he was trying to plan for the future and felt drawn to the idea of business ownership. That's when he started looking at franchising opportunities.
“I met with a few different companies, but when I did the application and initial interview for Pita Pit it very clearly stood out as the brand for me. The people were awesome, their values were great, it lined up with what I wanted to do," Dalton explained. "When I said I would really like to open one back up in my hometown of Chatham their eyes lit up like Canada Day, and it just kind of worked out perfectly from there.”
Many local residents have fond memories of the former Pita Pit location at 414 St. Clair Street, Dalton included.
"That store was constantly busy, I actually used to work at The Source next to it, so I was eating there two or three times a day. I think that’s part of the reason I reached out to Pita Pit initially because eating in that store all the time, the staff was always happy and friendly, you felt welcomed when you went in there, it was an awesome place to eat.”
Dalton is confident the new storefront will also be a success, in large part due to the heavy foot traffic in the area. Thousands of people visit the intersection of St. Clair Street and Pioneer Line each day with its many shopping options, pharmacies, financial institutions, and various other restaurants.
Pita Pit also plans to offer delivery and use third-party services "to make sure everyone in Chatham-Kent, no matter where they live, has access to healthy food," Dalton said.
For those interested in working for Pita Pit, job postings are expected to go up in late June - closer to the opening of the store.