The original building where two Wichita brothers launched Pizza Hut is moving to a new location on the Wichita State University campus.
Monday is moving day for the 500-square-foot building that’s been on the south side of WSU’s campus since the mid-1980s.
Pizza Hut’s new home will be on Innovation Campus.
Frank and Dan Carney were college students when they created the pizza restaurant in 1958.
Jay Price, director of the Local and Community History program at Wichita State University, says the building will be turned into a museum to highlight the story of entrepreneurship.
"We want to emphasize the role of decision-making, about working with others, about building connections and ties and being creative," Price says. "It’s all part of the conversation."
The Carneys’ personal collection of Pizza Hut mementos and artifacts will be on display, along with company memorabilia.
Related: Wichita Entrepreneurs: Dan Carney
Price says the Carneys’ founding of Pizza Hut is a key story in the museum showing how a single building transformed into a global enterprise.
"Our goal in the interpretative exhibit is to have visitors, students and their parents go through and think, 'If I had an idea, how would I make that work? How would I transition from an idea to a franchise? How would I think through the problems and obstacles and move forward?'” Price says.
The original Pizza Hut was located on Kellogg and Bluff in Wichita.
Price says it did not have a basement at that time, so the new location will be one-level. He says the current roof will also be restored to a design that would’ve been used on the building in 1958.
Although the building will be moved to the new site on Monday, it will not be set in place until later in the week.
The building is being moved intact on a flatbed truck. The move is set to take place between 9-11 a.m. on Monday. WSU police will assist with traffic control.
The museum is expected to open in 2018 to mark the 60th anniversary of Pizza Hut’s founding.
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