(Photo provided) Shown here is a rendering of what the new Poor Daddy’s Wood Fired Pizza eatery may look like after it is constructed in Paden City.

A new sit-down restaurant is being planned for Paden City with the recent purchase of seven empty lots by a couple who run a popular food truck business.

Cork Bowen, director of the Paden City Development Authority, said the owners of Poor Daddy’s Wood Fired Pizza – Troy and Kelly Smith – recently purchased the half-acre of land with plans to construct a building to house their new eatery.

Bowen said the Smiths purchased the land from the Ferrebee family after initially learning about the available lots from Kelly Sine, a local Paden City resident and member of the PCDA.

Bowen said he is excited about the Smiths’ plans for the land as the city has needed a sit-down restaurant where people can relax, eat, talk and share ideas.

“They fell in love with the place. … We’re excited to finally have a sit-down restaurant where people can congregate and enjoy themselves,” he said.

He noted the new eatery will be located near the new Dollar General Market being constructed in the city.

“It’s going to be a very busy corner. Hopefully this will be a building block for the rest of the town,” he said.

Bowen said the late Garnett Ferrebee left the lots to her adult children, Jay and Roberta, who decided they wanted the plot of land to be used in a way that would benefit the people of the city in a positive way. A restaurant was one idea that they loved.

“They are very Paden City oriented. … They wanted to keep the lots together and sell it to someone who was going to improve Paden City,” Bowen said.

The land was once home to a Quaker State gas station, but the underground tanks were removed several years ago, he added.

The Smiths announced their plans recently on social media.

“We are thrilled to announce that we have acquired a property in Paden City, situated across from the Dollar General Market at the four-way traffic light.

“As landowners, we are eager to initiate the design phase of our building, prioritizing the creation of indoor and outdoor seating areas and fostering a family-friendly ambiance. Construction is scheduled to start in 2026.”

They also posted some photos of what the eatery might look like after construction.

Troy Smith said Friday that his wife has always wanted to open a brick and mortar restaurant.

“We’re excited. It’s a new adventure and we’re learning as we go,” Smith said. “The main thing is to make sure we make the best product that we can. I think it’s a great thing we’re going to Paden City. With the high school closing, hopefully we can bring a little bit of joy back to the town. Hopefully we’re a success at it and it’s a great place for families.”

The Smiths live in Middlebourne and drive their food truck to locations across the region selling their freshly made pizzas made with fresh dough. Troy Smith said before opening their food truck they did much research and experimentation with making the pizzas. That work lasted about a year. They have been in business for the last two years.

In addition to the brick oven pizzas, he said they also plan to add other items to their menu such as burgers, wings and fries. There are also plans to serve coffee and pastries made by Kelly Smith.

He noted they looked at other locations to build a restaurant, but the prices were too high for them. The Paden City location was priced right for their budget and is big enough to expand in the future.

“The possibilities are endless there,” he said. “The goal is to have something there next year. It will have … a family oriented atmosphere.”

They plan to also have an area that opens to the outside during nice weather along with room for bands to play.