CONNEAUT — City residents received an early holiday gift this week with the opening of a new Taco Bell in the Gateway Plaza Shopping Center, just north of Interstate 90 and adjacent to Route 7.
The restaurant officially opened on Monday, sparking excitement among local customers, according to District Manager Lavone Pulliam.
“Everyone keeps asking, ‘Are you open yet?’ and then they tell me they’ve been waiting for this moment. It’s exciting to see the anticipation,” Pulliam said.
Chris Sperduto, director of operations for Charter Foods North, confirmed the store opened Monday after receiving food shipments over the weekend.
“We weren’t sure exactly when we would open, but we’ve had a steady flow of customers since then,” Sperduto said.
Local resident Mike Simmons was impressed with the food. “The service was good, though it’ll become more efficient as they settle in,” Simmons noted.
Pulliam, who also oversees Taco Bell locations in Erie and Girard, Pennsylvania, said this is his ninth store. He added, “We saw an opportunity, and we took it.”
Sperduto shared that the most challenging part of opening the store was staffing. “It was tough to hire and retain employees until everything was ready,” he said. “But opening today and finally having the team here—without needing to travel to other stores—is really exciting.”
The opening was not heavily advertised. “We wanted a soft opening,” Sperduto explained. “We only unlocked the doors when we felt ready.”
Construction of the new location faced some delays, primarily due to plumbing issues. “That was our biggest hurdle,” Pulliam said. Sperduto confirmed that the plumbing was resolved before the store’s official opening.
“Some typical construction issues came up, but we worked through them,” Sperduto said.
The new Taco Bell marks a significant addition to Conneaut’s dining scene, offering both convenience and excitement to local residents.
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