Messenger Intern

Over the past year, the commercial appeal of Highway 231 has been illuminated by new businesses, such as the Waffle House, Arby’s, Video Warehouse and Blimpee’s.

But the expansion is not finished yet.

A Blockbuster video store will be built beside Buffalo’s, the Waffle house will be adding another store on Highway 231 beside Sears, and Papa John’s will be moving to the old Coffee Kettle and expanding its menu and service by August.

Papa John’s has started the renovations on the old Coffee Kettle building by redoing the walls and floor and adding Papa John’s paraphernalia. The store is expected to be ready by the second week in August, according to manager Corey Laird.

Unlike the existing store, which has one table in the foyer, the new store will have a dining room capable of seating 30 to 40 pizza eaters.

Along with store’s location, the menu will also have a new look with a new barbecue chicken pizza, spaghetti and hot wings. There will also be a new daily buffet.

The new move and eating options are expected to result with a 40 percent increase in sales, Laird said.

The new Waffle House will open the first week of August, and, according employees, the Movie Gallery is also planning to add another store on Highway 231.

"I think [the growth] is a combination of Troy State moving up to Division 1-A and trying to increase enrollment and the strong commercial and industry community we have here.

"I think, as more and more people choose to locate here, there will be a greater growth in retail," Lunsford said.

Lunsford also said that he "firmly believes" that Troy will get one or two of the supplier sites from Hundai.

"We’re always going out to eat and we’re running out of options. It gets kind of old eating at the same places all the time. I just hope more restaurants will come," said Misti Williams, a TSU student who lives off campus.

"I can also tell you how hard it is to find a job here, so I’m glad to hear that more places are coming here. It may not seem like much to some people, but those are good jobs for college students," said Williams, who said it was difficult for her to find a job before she started working at Johnson’s Lawn Service.

Williams was not surprised to hear about the new Waffle house, even though it has not been long since the first was one was built.

"The parking lot is pretty full every time I drive by, and, when we eat there, you usually have to wait on a table, which is surprising for a place like that," she said.

The south end of Highway 231 has seen development and there are some people who think the north end is ripe for the growing.

"With the north end being better lit now, I think that will help it attract more and more growth," said Mayor Jimmy Lunsford.