Hartford, Wi – The former Pizza Hut building on Grand Avenue in Hartford, Wi, is undergoing a dramatic transformation as local entrepreneur Wesley Feest prepares to open a new Tochi Ramen restaurant on Aug. 1, 2026.
Known for creating themed entertainment and restaurant concepts including The Antidote, Outbreak, The Hive, and Game Over, Feest said the vacant Pizza Hut immediately sparked an idea.
“I was driving by and I looked at it, and thought ‘If I paint that thing black, that is a samurai house,'” he said. “So, that’s what we’re designing it like, an actual Tokyo samurai house.”
Feest said motorists will soon notice a striking change to the longtime Pizza Hut building.
Unlike his other ramen locations, the Hartford restaurant will feature its own distinctive personality.
“My Tochi Ramen in West Bend is post-apocalyptic and all that stuff due to it being called the Outbreak and the Antidote story. The one in Sheboygan is all punk rock and Godzilla.”
He hopes future locations will continue that tradition.
“I really want to do one that’s going to be all Japanese anime themed,” he said.
While every restaurant carries a different atmosphere, customers can expect consistency where it matters most.
“Same dinner menu, but all of them can have different appetizers and desserts. As long as the ramen menu stays the same, then it’s a protected franchise.”
The Hartford restaurant will focus on authentic ramen along with a carefully selected beverage menu.
“If I got sake and Buddha beer, then it’s all good,” he said.
To keep the process simple, Feest applied for a beer and wine license rather than a full liquor license.
The August 1 opening will mark another step in the growing Tochi Ramen brand.
On a side note:
Feest also recently announced a new gaming/event center in the former Ke-West building on Highway 45 between West Bend and Kewaskum. Click HERE to read more.
