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Local putt-putt owner adding tropical-themed pizza parlor |
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Wednesday, 25 March 2009 |
Maximizing people’s entertainment dollar is the goal of one Saline County businessman.
Robert Shell of Benton is expanding his miniature golf course to include a pizza parlor. Cabana Joe’s Pizza is located where CiCi’s Pizza once operated in the Tinseltown shopping center.
The strip mall is next door to Harbor Island miniature golf.
Harbor Island has weathered the slumping economy, Shell said, but he wasn’t overly optimistic last August that the business would survive.
That’s when he got the idea to open a pizza restaurant.
“I had the idea to obtain another business to complement the other one,” he said while inside the unfinished eatery, which carries the tropical theme of Harbor Island.
“I want people to get the most value out of their entertainment dollar,” Shell said.
Since January, Shell said he has been busy transforming the space CiCi’s once occupied for Cabana Joe’s.
Shell said he looks forward to carrying over the quality of service the putt-putt golf business offers customers.
“When people come in, we greet them, ask them if they’ve ever been there, show them around if they haven’t, and we want to do the same thing here at the pizza place,” he said.
A definite date isn’t set, but Shell said Cabana Joe’s will soon, “hopefully, as soon as the weekend.”
The restaurant will feature a full-service buffet, much like Larry’s Pizza in Bryant, Shell said.
“We will have traditional pizzas like cheese, pepperoni and supreme and also offer the progressive flavors like taco and fettucini. We’ll have about 15-20 different flavors,” he said.
Hot wings and “fresh” salad also will be offered, he said.
Shell, 38, opened Harbor Island four years ago.
The economic downturn has hit home, but instead of giving up, Shell said he feels “blessed” about the restaurant opportunity.
“I kept seeing cars pull up here,” he said, noting people were intending to eat at CiCi’s. Not quite sure what to do with the putt-putt business, Shell said the pizza idea just came to him. “When I have an idea, I go for it.”
He added, “I like working with my hands and get pleasure out of offering something like this and offering it to people.”
Shell said he’s hopeful the two businesses together will help attract more businesses and activity to the shopping center.
Tentative buffet hours will be 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. seven days a week, he said.
He is taking applications for all types of positions, but applicants have to be willing to work at both businesses, he said.
“People like good service and I like putting forth the effort.”
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