“Centerville is a great community,” said Tom Blanton, vice president for J. Thomas and Co., which has 18 Waffle House locations in the region. “Our store in Miamisburg close to the Dayton Mall does very well and really everything off of (Interstate) 675 we’re really just trying to fill our footprint in more in the Dayton area. We think it’ll do well.”
The Waffle House application was part of a Centerville Planning Commission work session on Tuesday evening, but there was no action taken, according to Drew Simon, the city’s community resources coordinator.
The 24-hour breakfast chain, which is known for its all-star special that includes waffles and hash browns, would be constructed between La Piñata and LCNB National Bank.
Waffle House has been operating since 1955, with each restaurant remaining open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are more than 1,900 Waffle House locations open in 25 states — mostly in the Southeast region of the country.
J. Thomas & Co. opened its first Waffle House in the region in 1983. Blanton said he purchased J. Thomas and Co. in 2018.
Its locations include 4382 Indian Ripple Road in Beavercreek, 1210 Wilmington Ave. in Dayton, 4912 Springboro Pike in Moraine and 2226 Needmore Road in Dayton. Another location at 1963 Harner Drive in Xenia is scheduled to open next year, he said.
Construction on the new Centerville location is expected to start sometime in 2024 with a mid-2025 opening in mind, Blanton said. It will hire between 35 and 40 employees for both part-time and full-time positions, he said.
He said the all-brick design shown in the major site plan is “designed to fit into the neighborhood well.”
Reporting by Staff Writer Natalie Jones was included in this report.
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