Wendy's interior
Wendy's #472 (2,606 square feet)
14496 Warwick Boulevard, Newport Crossing, Newport News, VA
Built and opened in 1976, renovated in fall 2011
This here Wendy's was the very first location to serve up some Old Fashioned Hamburgers to Peninsula residents (two Norfolk locations opened around the same time as well). And wouldn't you know it, back in 2011 this was one of the locations picked to test out their new prototype restaurant design. Now, if you look at this exterior photo you'll see it's nothing more than a spruced-up version of the late 2000s look (note that the linked location opened during this one's renovation); from what I've been able to gather, the current Wendy's look (you know, all-glass front and protruding red rectangle) was introduced as a prototype at the same time and was chosen over this location's design, though interior-wise a lot of elements here were carried over like the fireplace, seating arrangement and Coke Freestyle machines. Before today I hadn't been inside this location since before the remodel so I've always been curious to see what this in-between look had going for it. Side note: this building has a twin location in Virginia Beach, which I have zero photos of at the moment.
Wendy's interior
Wendy's #472 (2,606 square feet)
14496 Warwick Boulevard, Newport Crossing, Newport News, VA
Built and opened in 1976, renovated in fall 2011
This here Wendy's was the very first location to serve up some Old Fashioned Hamburgers to Peninsula residents (two Norfolk locations opened around the same time as well). And wouldn't you know it, back in 2011 this was one of the locations picked to test out their new prototype restaurant design. Now, if you look at this exterior photo you'll see it's nothing more than a spruced-up version of the late 2000s look (note that the linked location opened during this one's renovation); from what I've been able to gather, the current Wendy's look (you know, all-glass front and protruding red rectangle) was introduced as a prototype at the same time and was chosen over this location's design, though interior-wise a lot of elements here were carried over like the fireplace, seating arrangement and Coke Freestyle machines. Before today I hadn't been inside this location since before the remodel so I've always been curious to see what this in-between look had going for it. Side note: this building has a twin location in Virginia Beach, which I have zero photos of at the moment.