St. Louis–area diners became the first in the nation to experience Fazoli’s all new design—its first in more than 15 years—when a brand new restaurant started serving the brand’s Italian dishes in Edwardsville, Illinois. The new Fazoli’s is located in a former Noble Roman’s Pizza in the Edwardsville Crossing shopping center.

According to Fazoli’s president and CEO Carl Howard, St. Louis was selected to test the new restaurant design because it is among the chain’s top-performing markets. “The building of this restaurant is a very significant step forward in revitalizing the Fazoli’s brand,” he says. “In the last year, we have changed 80 percent of our menu and worked hard to improve our operations. Now, we are giving our guests a more vibrant and appealing dining environment.”

Fazoli’s new, contemporary design provides guests with a more inviting and fun atmosphere. It differs dramatically from the traditional Italian look created when the chain was first developed.

“It was time to inject a whole new look,” says Stacy Hettich, Fazoli’s brand director. “It’s much more open with bright colors and a variety of textures.”

Community leaders and kids from the Children’s Museum in Edwardsville dedicated the restaurant at a special event on January 25. Fazoli’s presented a $2,000 donation to the museum.

This is the first Fazoli’s to open in a shopping center. Fazoli’s has a second new restaurant under construction in Dayton, Ohio. It also will use the new prototype design.

For more information on the Fazoli’s makeover, click here.