IT’S A WRAP!

Pita Pit owners plan to fill void in Warehouse District

Steve Gesicki is one of the owners of the new Pita Pit on South St. Clair Street. The restaurant plans to be open early morning, late night, and on Sundays to accommodate the area’s residential population.

THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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The fast-casual Pita Pit at 30 S. St. Clair will have an urban feel and an ‘Americanized Greek’ menu.

The owners of northwest Ohio’s two Pita Pit franchises plan to open their third restaurant in downtown Toledo’s Warehouse District by the end of the month.

The fast-casual restaurant will be located at 30 S. St. Clair St., next door to Home Slice Pizza. Kate Dake, one of the owners, said they’re targeting a March 31 opening, just days ahead of the Mud Hens’ first game of the year.

Ms. Dake, her husband, Tom Dake, and her brother, Steve Gesicki, have owned the Pita Pit in Bowling Green since early 2012. The trio opened Toledo’s first Pita Pit on Dorr Street in October, 2013. They hope to eventually operate 10 between Toledo and Cleveland.

For now, though, they’re focused on downtown.

“We really love the feel of the Warehouse District. It’s just a really cool place to be, and I think we’re getting in at the beginning of another big upswing,” Ms. Dake said. “Looking around in the Warehouse District specifically, there weren’t any quick-service restaurants and we thought we’d be a great fit.”

Steve Gesicki is one of the owners of the new Pita Pit on South St. Clair Street. The restaurant plans to be open early morning, late night, and on Sundays to accommodate the area’s residential population.

Pita Pit was founded in Canada in 1995 and now has about 220 locations in the United States. The restaurants serve custom-made pitas with a variety of meats and vegetables. Ms. Dake characterizes the menu as “Americanized Greek.”

Though there are many restaurants in the Warehouse District, a common complaint from the area’s growing residential population has been a lack of places that are open early in the morning, late at night, and on Sundays.

Ms. Dake said Pita Pit will cover those bases. The restaurant also will make deliveries, with a coverage area that includes the Old West End. “We’re just trying to fill in the gaps as best as we can,” she said.

Hours aren’t completely decided, but Pita Pit will open daily for breakfast and will be open until 9 p.m. through the week, with later hours on Fridays and Saturdays.

The restaurant will open with between 12 and 15 employees.

Ms. Dake said the restaurant, which is still under construction, will have exposed brick and ductwork for an urban feel. It’s small, at about 1,000 square feet, but she said that’s typical for the chain. It will have seating for 12.

Contact Tyrel Linkhorn at tlinkhorn@theblade.com or 419-724-6134 or on Twitter @BladeAutoWriter.