The new owners of Pizza Haus at 6324 Route B in Wardsville began renovating the restaurant shortly after purchasing it in October.
Husband and wife Matt and Laura Mertens bought the business from former owner Bill Stockman in mid-October.
While they began beautifying the eatery immediately, customers didn't notice until last week when dining room renovations began.
Matt Mertens said they plan to give the dining room a face-lift by adding brickwork around the dining room, on the bases of the counters and on the exterior. Other smaller changes also will be made.
"They've always had great food there; we just wanted to liven it up," Mertens said. "We're just trying to make sure it stays that way."
Mertens said he wants the place to retain a rustic look that fits in with the surrounding Wardsville neighborhood.
"We don't want it to be modern," Mertens said. "It's always been a neighborhood eatery, and we want to maintain that neighborhood feel."
Immediately after buying the restaurant, the couple began cleaning up the exterior of the restaurant and making it easier to enter. An interior renovation started in the kitchen when Mertens replaced almost everything besides the pizza oven. The kitchen space and oven is small, so they wanted to make it more efficient for employees to make pizzas, he said.
"We're sticking with the same process," Mertens said. "It's always been good."
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