After a slow decline in sales last spring and temporary closure, Pita Pit on the Strip reopened Sept. 21 and is looking for a new store owner.

The store is currently owned by Pita Pit USA and is available for those interested in purchase.

“I’m excited. It’s a completely different store. We have money; we have food,” Kimberly Case, shift manager at Pita Pit, said.

Some customers said the temporary closing took them by surprise after attempting to pick up a meal from the Strip location.

“I had a full punch card, and I came in like a day or two after they closed to use my punch card, and I literally stood here at the door that had no sign or anything. The door was locked, and I was like, ‘Why aren’t you open?’,” Greg Morris, a former UA student, said.

The previous owner had personal issues which led to the neglect and eventual closing of the store, Kyle Naff, store manager, said.

Naff was also general manager under the previous store owner and helped in the process of trying to sell the franchise.

“Basically, he couldn’t reach a deal with someone, so he ran out of time and money,” Naff said. “Anyone that came here in the spring knew that we had a really limited menu selection, and that was all because the budget was so small for buying food and stuff like that.”

Case also worked under the previous owner and said the store faced a multitude of issues through its decline in the spring.

“[The previous owner] quit paying his employees. He stopped paying for food. Kyle did what he could, but it’s hard to save a store when the owner doesn’t care,” Case said.

Along with new ownership came several new menu items, a pita steamer to warm the pitas before they are stuffed and different uniforms.

“We’re back open. We’re a healthy alternative to anything else out here, and all but one of our pitas are under 500 calories,” Naff said.

Students said they are excited about the store reopening.

“This is my first time coming [to the new Pita Pit], and you know what, I love the place,” Steven Berry, a senior majoring in computer engineering, said. “I used to live behind the Strip, and I would come here a few times a week. It has that same heavy feel of the pita, good taste, good service, and it’s a little bit more professional this time around.”