What attracted Aaron and Meg Wasik to the idea of buying the Cicis Pizza on Gunbarrel Road was the community aspect of the business that Steve and Barbie Potts had created over the past two decades as owners.
It's something they plan to continue as the new owners.
"Absolutely," Meg said in a telephone interview.
"We want to kind of revamp that and remind everybody we are here for after-church youth groups and on Friday nights after games," she said.
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The Wasiks, who in addition to owning several other businesses in the area, are youth pastors who moved to the region from Orlando, Florida, in 2020. They lived in Manchester, Tennessee, before moving to Chickamauga, Georgia, and then to Rome, where they currently live. They looked at buying the Cicis franchise three years ago, but it didn't work out.
The store came back into play about a year ago not long after Steve Potts was diagnosed with cancer. Barbie still owns the Cicis location in Hixson.
Aaron Wasik said buying a restaurant from an owner who has built a strong community following comes with some unique opportunities.
"It has been interesting to take over for someone with such big shoes to fill," he said. "He owned and operated it for 20 years."
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Potts passed away in June, and the Wasiks said they felt they became more than business associates during the sale of the business.
"We feel like we were able to help them through the grieving process," Aaron Wasik said.
He said one of the early priorities for the restaurant is "to make it pretty again."
"We want to do some upgrades with painting and cleaning. It's an incredible environment that needs attention," he said.
The Wasiks have already added eight new options on the salad bar, and they said Cicis is planning offer a new Piezilla, a 28-inch pie that will feed between 10 and 15 people.
"It's massive," Aaron Wasik said.
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Cicis is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Aaron Wasik said people can order from most of the local delivery services, and the restaurant also caters parties and events.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Follow him on Twitter @BarryJC.