It won't be long before 40th Street's newest occupant opens its doors to customers with a hot slice of Papa John's pizza.
The pizzeria will open at 104 S. 40th St. -- in the building adjacent to the Tandoor India Restaurant -- by the start of the spring semester.
Papa John's moved from its previous location at 3943 Chestnut St. in May due to an ongoing project at the corner of 40th and Chestnut streets.
Fran Trioli -- manager at the Papa John's located at 21st and Market streets -- said that an exact date for the store's opening has not been determined.
Construction on the store's interior is in its final stages, according to Bob Hoe -- a partner of Teres Holdings LLC, the developer of the retail and residential buildings at 40th and Chestnut streets.
Trioli said that the distance between 21st and Market Streets and University City has made it difficult to deliver to West Philadelphia customers ordering from his store.
Since the Chestnut location closed, the Papa John's Philadelphia franchise has seen a 30 to 40 percent decrease in sales.
Hoe said that Papa John's chose not to keep the store open while the construction progressed.
"It [was] mutually beneficial for them to relocate," Hoe said, adding that the construction noise may have disrupted service.
He said that the store's previous franchise owner arranged for the store to move to its new 40th Street location before it shut down in May.
Trioli said that the new location's proximity to other pizza eateries -- including Allegro's and College Pizza -- will not affect business.
"We should get our share of the business for the area," Trioli said.
The new location will include dessert and breakfast pizza on the menu.
Angelo Hernandez, owner of Allegro's at 3942 Spruce St., said that Papa John's relocation will not take away his customers.
"It's better coverage," he said. "You don't have to wait for any one individual [store]. If you buy it from me, it's because you want my product."
Wharton senior Russell Armstrong said that "taste and price" are the deciding factors in determining which pizza he selects. He said he orders pizza from Papa John's about once a month.
Because the new location is closer, "I don't have to wait as long," he said of Papa John's return to West Philadelphia.
