By: Maggie Johnston OMAHA, Neb- Locally owned restaurant, Pizza West, is under new ownership. Previous owners Jeff Evans and Jim DeRouchey sold their restaurant to Holly Purcell. This changeover occurred at the end of August 2024, and things look hopeful. In the past, Evans has joked that the building “looked like a break room.” Since then, he and DeRouchey have built it up to what it is today and given the place its own personality.
“Us here at PizzaWest we are kind of like a family, so it’s great,” said Jessica Hazlehurst, the restaurant’s general manager.
Purcell had owned and sold several businesses before and said purchasing PizzaWest was very open and personal, unlike most business transactions. “Overall, it was a good space to come together and do the process. We didn’t go through a broker, which was a nice way to go about it,” she said.
She and her husband have known Evan and DeRouchey for several years and wish to protect the legacy Evan and DeRouchey built. She plans to keep the connection with the local community as new changes are in the works. For now, the main changes are a new paint on the walls, but more prominent changes may come later. “We are changing just the general look so it looks different but the same. As we get into it, we will get creative, and as it comes, we will figure it out,” Purcell said.
“I think it’s gonna be great. Changes are always good, and they seem motivated to make PizzaWest the best that it can be,” Hazlehurst said.
Going forward the local community can rest at ease that the family friendly atmosphere and brand they know is not going anywhere.
