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NATCHEZ — The remnants of the former Pizza Hut building at 106 U.S. 61 South are almost all collected in dumpsters and ready to be removed, making way for a more updated, modern Pizza Hut at that location.

JJB Brands, based in Flowood owns the location. JJB Brands is a Pizza Hut, Checker’s/Rally’s, and Moe’s Southwest Grill franchisee located in Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida. JJB Brands is a minority-owned business with more than 120 restaurants. The company has Natchez ties.

Owner Mike Quinn is married to Natchez native Tonya Howard Quinn.

“The new building will be smaller than the one we just tore down. That building had served its purpose,” Quinn said. “The new building will have a smaller dining room and no buffet, but will have the same great pizza and same great wings we’ve had forever.”

Quinn had hoped to construct a Rally’s on the same lot but decided the space was too small to hold both.

“We still hope to put a Rally’s in Natchez and are looking for space for that,” he said. “We hope to start that project in the first part of 2025.”

Michael Sapera of Axcess Construction Management Services said his company has built six or seven new Pizza Hut restaurants for franchisee JJB Brands.

“Most of our crews are in Lake Charles building another restaurant right now. As soon as it’s all cleared there and the utilities are squared away, we will begin construction on the new restaurant in Natchez. The people who did the demo are also in charge of any dirt work and asphalt work there,” Sapera said.