HUNTINGDON, Pa. (WTAJ) — Domino’s is moving to a new location for a bigger and renovated store with a soft opening on Friday, Dec. 9.

The restaurant is moving downtown to 614 Washington St. from its smaller store on 1301 Moore Street. The store will be open Friday, Dec. 9 through Sunday, Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with delivery starting on Saturday.

Regular hours start on Monday when the store will be open from 10:30 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Monday and 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Owner Sheldon Port said the new location has new ovens that don’t make the restaurant as warm, which will make it safer and more efficient for his employees.

He also said the location will provide safer and faster deliveries.

“At our old location, backing in and out, 50, 60 times a day on deliveries gets very tedious for our drivers and then also for our customers,” Port said. “It’s a lot easier with our parking lot out back and on the side here. Plus we’re on the main street here, so I feel like we’ll get a lot more foot traffic.”

He said the store also comes with new technology to make for a faster, easier process. He added that they can now see what food customers are ordering on the Domino’s app or online before they even place the order so they can start making the food earlier.

“We don’t fold boxes anymore, so there’s streamlined and faster ways to make product,” Port said.

Port said the idea to move started in March of 2021 when he was deciding between a new location or a renovation of the existing one.

“I’ve known for years and years that I’ve at least wanted to remodel where we were or relocate,” Port said.

Port owns 16 other stores, but the Huntingdon native said his hometown’s location holds a special weight for him. He started as a delivery driver at the old store in 2000 and purchased it in 2009.

“I grew up six minutes from [the store],” Port said. “I was in the Army National Guard right here in Huntingdon. It doesn’t matter what I do or how hard I work, I’ll never be accepted [in other towns] like I am here. People have my back, and I have theirs, and it feels like a really great community, and it’s nice to give back to them, too.”

He said since 2020, his stores have donated thousands of pizzas and over $15,000 in local fundraising.