Newswise — The original Pizza Hut building at Wichita State will be moved to WSU's new Innovation Campus and turned into a museum dedicated to the history of the world-famous pizza chain.
Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 by brothers Frank and Dan Carney, students at what was then the University of Wichita.
A $1.2 million campaign has been started by the WSU Foundation to move the 500-square-foot building from its location north of the Newman Center to just south of the Marcus Welcome Center.
Dan Carney will donate his sizeable collection of Pizza Hut mementos and artifacts to the new museum. Wichita franchisee Fugate Enterprises made a lead gift to the project. Other area franchisees also have donated to the project, with substantial gifts from franchisee Daland Corp. and from Pizza Hut Corp.
More than half of the $1.2 million has been raised, with fundraising efforts ongoing. Most of the funds, about $700,000, will be used to relocate and renovate the building, including replacing its roof with the trademark red roof that used to dominate so many Pizza Hut stores.
Other costs include installation of Pizza Hut memorabilia and video screens to share oral histories of the founding generation.
The WSU Foundation plans to raise $500,000 to endow a student curator program, employing students in academic areas such as history and museum studies to work as docents and update museum contents. The museum is expected to open in late 2017.
The museum will serve as a way to highlight Wichita's past and present entrepreneurial history.
"The Pizza Hut story is the quintessential entrepreneurial success story for Wichita, and it epitomizes how innovation can lead to success," said Keith Pickus, WSU Foundation vice president for corporate and foundation relations. "We believe strongly its story represents the essence of what we hope to achieve with the Innovation Campus."# # # # #Contact: Keith Pickus, 316-978-7791 or [email protected].
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