It will take a lot longer than 30 minutes or less, but Domino’s Pizza is set to open in
Flin Flon as early as next summer.
Entrepreneur Ross Carleton was in Flin Flon last week to tour a building he plans to buy and turn into a Domino’s outlet that will open around June of 2015.
Though Carleton had originally hoped to launch the Flin Flon location in 2014, he needed more time than expected to find a suitable building.
Since he has not completed the purchase, he preferred not to disclose the building’s location.
Focus
Carleton, who already owns Domino’s outlets in Yellowknife and Thompson, said he will focus more on Flin Flon once he opens another location in The Pas, hopefully by December.
He said Flin Flon appeals to him based on population and its lack of a national pizza chain such as Pizza Hut or Boston Pizza.
“It’s always good to be the first national brand into a place,” said Carleton.
“The idea is to become the first and then just provide the best service so there’s no reason for anybody else to come in.”
Carleton estimates the Flin Flon outlet will employ at least eight to a dozen people. Hours of operation will depend on local demand.
He said the store will offer delivery, but Domino’s famous “30 minutes or it’s free” guarantee is no longer company policy.
That said, he said his average delivery time in both Yellowknife and Thompson is less than 30 minutes.
Carleton was grateful to find an existing building in Flin Flon. He said he might have skipped over the market, at least for a time, if he had no choice but to construct his own facility.
Feedback
He said he was made aware of the building thanks to feedback he received from an article he did with The Reminder last summer.
In that article, Carleton said he would prefer a location along Flin Flon’s main thoroughfare, either downtown or by the Flintoba Shopping Centre.
Whereas Domino’s has traditionally been known as a takeout and delivery place, Carleton said the chain is now including seating areas for customers to enjoy their meals.
While many business owners are attracted to larger population centres, Carleton has always had an affinity for smaller markets.
Domino’s does fairly well in Yellowknife (pop. 19,234) and Thompson (13,123), he said, adding he enjoys being able to make his businesses part of a community.
Carleton has been with Domino’s for the past 15 years. Like many franchisees, he began his career as a delivery person.
With over 10,000 locations, the Michigan-headquartered Domino’s is the largest pizza chain in the world.
