Little Caesars headed for Collins Road

Little Caesars, the low-cost pizza chain that re-entered the Cedar Rapids market last fall, will open its second location near Lindale Mall by mid-February.

Little Caesars franchise owner Jake Kennel said the location in suites A and B of a strip center at 124 Collins Road NE was exactly where he and his partner Zack Miller wanted to be on Cedar Rapids' east side.

“We'd been looking at that location for over a year,” Kennel said. The store takes over spaces vacated by CDs Plus, which closed, and Wireless One, which relocated in the same center.

Business has been brisk at the Little Caesars that opened in late November at 2210 Edgewood Rd. SW.

Little Caesars offers $5 pizzas for pick up only. Some customers have gone out of their way to express appreciation for the value they get for their money, Kennel said.

“We're doing well - better than I expected,” he said.

About 20 additional employees will be hired for the east side Little Caesars and about five employees will relocate from the west side store.

Kennel said he has been fortunate to hire some mature factory workers who are on layoff due to the economy.

“A lot of them are just doing this until their factories bring them back, but if I can keep them employed until then, that's good enough for me,” Kennel said. “A lot of them like it.”