The Colonel isn’t cooking tonight and won’t be for the next four weeks when an extensive renovation of Pratt’s Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant is complete.

The sign on the parking lot says “Closed for Remodeling” and it isn’t kidding.

The first change in the $150,000 to $200,000 renovation was the addition of a stucco façade that was completed several weeks ago. The façade covered much of the exterior brickwork and is a little taller than the original store. The exterior will also feature a new drive-through menu board.

The style of the new design is called “Visions.”

The interior remodel is now under way and it will be extensive. For the most part the entire interior was gutted. The walls were stripped, all the seating and serving counter were ripped out, the entire kitchen and office were gutted while some interior walls were taken down to the studs.

Some of the kitchen equipment will be reused but there will be many new kitchen items including a trio of new coolers: one for chicken, one for salad and a new freezer, said Randy Burnett, vice president for Southwest KFC who is helping with the renovation.
“There will be a lot of new kitchen equipment,” Burnett said.

The sounds of a big cutting saw and a jack hammer were heard Wednesday when the floor was cut open and jack hammered out to remove the cast iron sewer line. Cast iron tends to corrode and the renovation provided an opportunity to remove the line and replace it.

“With a cast iron line if you aren’t having problems, you will,” Burnett said.

Removing the sewer also provided an opportunity to relocate some of the floor drains.
The kitchen and service area will be remodeled to make it easier for employees to get the food to the customers. The entire seating area will get a complete facelift with one less booth next to the redesigned restroom.

The new design will combine both restrooms into one big restroom that meets Americans with Disabilities Act regulations, Burnett said.

During the renovation, KFC offered the employees the option to help with the renovation and continue getting a paycheck or take the time off. Several of the employees, including Manager Terry Navarro, were excited to work on the renovation.
“It’s going to make it a better environment to work in,” Navarro said.

Navarro and other employees are cleaning all the kitchen equipment they are keeping after the renovation. Navarro, who started working for KFC in 1989, said the last renovation was eight years ago and she was glad her boss Burnett was getting the renovation done.

The entire interior renovation will take about five weeks and the store will reopen sometime in August but the exact date is not known at this time.

Returning customers will see an entirely new interior and Navarro is certain the customers will be pleased.

“When we reopen well be bigger and better,” Navarro said. “I think the customers will like it too.”

Customers are already asking when the renovation will be complete and it is a good feeling to know that customers are anxious for the business to be reopened, she said.

Candy Wiser, KFC assistant manager, is taking advantage of working on the renovation and is anxious for the renovation to be complete.

“It’s a great place to work and it’s going to be a better place when we reopen,” Wiser said.