New owner has plans for Pirate Pit Stop

POMEROY––The Pirate Pit Stop and Café, formerly known as PDQ, is under new ownership and management, and she is a familiar face. Leslie Schmidt, who at an earlier time operated PF Express in the same location, says she has plans for the local convenience store.

Although the store looks the same, there are some changes being made. Schmidt will continue to use the same vendors with whom PDQ had established business. But, only one PDQ employee chose to stay with the Pit Stop. However, Schmidt has hired back many of the PF Express crew members. She says she is also looking to add one or two more to the staff, and is looking for people who want to work in a “happy place.”

Sunday afternoons have been very busy because the Pit Stop is the only place in Pomeroy to get a quick meal.

Schmidt wants to expand the menu, and add a grill, but for now she is asking for input from customers. She has her own ideas, but she wants to first know what the customers want, and take some direction from their ideas.

Schmidt is not entirely new to the store because she was co-owner, with ex-husband Mark Schmidt, from May, 2004, until 2012, when the store was sold to PDQ.

The Schmidts had bought the building in 2004 and did extensive remodeling to the former bowling alley and then the Eagles Club. The convenience store became the PF Express. They also added the car wash and laundromat, which PDQ maintained under its ownership.

The new ownership officially started June 27, 2020.