DERRY — There will be a new look to the Applebee's restaurant on Manchester Road, but the Planning Board is requesting the restaurant chain use local products for its exterior renovations.

“There will be a new look at Applebee's,” said Town Planning director George Sioras. “The awnings will be changing, and there is going to be a stone mason entrance.”

During a recent Planning Board hearing on the facade changes, Town Administrator John Anderson asked Applebee's representative Rita Hogan if the company is going to be using native New Hampshire granite for that stone entrance.

“Walmart changed their plans to have granite from New Hampshire at (board chairman) Dave Granese's request,” Anderson said.
Hogan said she did not know what kind of granite was going to be used for the exterior of the building, but said she would check.

The Planning Board approved the facade changes with the request that the native granite be used during the remodeling.

The Applebee's chain changed ownership last November, and Hogan said the new owners are remodeling all its 66 stores.

“Part of their commitment was to remodel all the stores from Rhode Island to Plattsburg, New York,” Hogan said. “They have about 20 left to do.”

In addition to the exterior renovations, Hogan said the interior of the restaurant will be remodeled.

“There will be new carpets, new booths, new wallpaper and new wall art,” she said.

Granese asked if the current beige wallpaper was being replaced, and Hogan said it was being replaced with a green, terra cotta, and gold color scheme.

“Since you were doing the outside, I was hoping you were doing the inside, too,” said Granese.

Hogan said there have also been some landscaping improvements at the restaurant.

“This is going to change the look (of the restaurant) significantly,” said Anderson.

aswift@newstote.com