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The staple pizzeria at the gateway to downtown Danville has changed hands this summer – and while the new owners vow not to change the soul of the prominent restaurant, they say they are working on a few tweaks to breathe new life for the future.
Jimmy and Jennifer Jhanda announced Aug. 5 that they purchased Primo’s Pizzeria and Pub, located on the northeast corner of Hartz Avenue and Diablo Road. The couple were looking for an opportunity to invest in their local business community upon his retirement from the tech industry, and the popular pizza place “checked all the boxes”.
“Primos is legendary in Danville and has a great soul,” Jimmy Jhanda said in a press release. “We’re not here to change that – we’re here to protect it, refresh it, and make sure it’s still around for the next 50 years.”
The restaurant, with its outspread patio seating area in addition to indoor tables and bar, has remained open during the transition, but marquee signage was taken down and not replaced as of Thursday morning. It’s unclear whether grammar was part of the motivation with the signs, but the Jhandas’ press release notably refers to their eatery as Primos – without the apostrophe.
“Primos is part of the fabric of this town,” Jennifer Jhanda said in the statement. “We’re just adding a few new threads.”
Email inquiries to Jimmy Jhanda before the Labor Day weekend had not been returned as of Monday night.
Founded in 1979 by Jack and Linda Rhodes, Primo’s stayed in the family for more than three decades until son John Rhodes sold it to Drew Nichols – then the owner of The Dog, also in downtown – effective July 2011.
The restaurant’s long history in town was a major attraction for Jimmy Jhanda, who said he and his wife were interested in finding a good local investment option since he sold his successful tech staffing franchise a year ago and retired.
They said they are taking the reins, along with operating partner Wes Aziz, with one driving goal: “keep everything locals love about Primos, while breathing in new life where it counts. Think: the same welcoming vibe, comfort classics on the menu, plus a few fresh twists and surprises coming soon.”
“Primos has always had a great vibe,” said Aziz, who will be handling the day-to-day. “We’re dialing that up. More flavor, more fun, and more community — that’s the mission.”
The Jhandas called Aziz “a local restaurant powerhouse guru … known for turning restaurants into neighborhood hotspots” and said he’s been making his mark at Primos in these early weeks in the front and back of the house.
“Under this new leadership dream team, guests can expect updated decor, community focused events, and a refreshed menu that honors Primos’ roots while adding new crowd pleasers. But don’t worry — your favorites aren’t going anywhere,” Aziz said in the press release.
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