By Emmy Trivette, News Editor

Almost every student, parent and teacher at First Flight recalls visiting Pizza Hut on Croatan Highway: the smell of greasy lost dreams in the air, the wishy-washy color scheme from the 1970s and of course the pizza that reminded you of every pre-K birthday party you ever attended.

But now, with the help of Fran and Lance Marler from Kill Devil Grill as well as the owners of the pizza chain’s neighboring restaurant, Mama Kwans — Kevin Cherry and Kwan Gray — the lifeless lot is being transformed into a new local pizza spot, “Peace of the Pie.”

“We’re literally hitting the ground running, but we’re all super excited and overwhelmed,” co-owner Fran Marler said with nervous excitement during a visit to the shop this spring.

When the Pizza Hut lot went up for sale, Cherry and Kwan wanted to buy out the space for parking, then wondered: What would be the point of using a parking lot with an empty building? After a short period of brainstorming, Cherry and Kwan decided to turn the empty building into Cherry’s dream pizza restaurant. 

“I make pizzas for my family and have them try out new flavors I come up with,” Cherry said. “I’ve always wanted a pizza shop.”

When the extensive work inside and outside concludes this summer, locals and tourists alike can expect to find delicious homemade pizzas, from vegetarian options to pies loaded up with meat, plus home-smoked wings and a variety of salads greeting them at the newest venue in Kill Devil Hills.

For just thinking of the idea some six months ago, the metamorphosis that has engulfed the former Pizza Hut has been swift and dramatic.  

“Kwan doesn’t sit still very well. He was in and out caulking the walls, tearing up the floors,” Cherry said. 

Though most of the fast-food restaurant’s worn out utilities have been removed, the owners plan to continue to use the old carry out window, handing out slices and pizzas to keep the flow of traffic going.

“This restaurant, even though it’s just pizza, is going to let us know what it wants to be as we start moving forward and listening to customers,” Cherry said. 

Junior Emmy Trivette can be reached at [email protected].