The time has come for the long awaited Domino’s to open in Salem. Plans are to open Thursday at 10:30 a.m. (Nov. 16). About 20 employees continue training this week.
This marks the eighth store that John Gayler has purchased or opened for the company. Gayler owns stores in Potosi, Park Hills, St. Clair, Bonne Terre, Farmington, Fredericktown and St. Genevieve—which just opened this March. Gayler has been with the company for 25 years and is a prime example of the fact that 90% of Domino’s store owners started as entry-level employees.
“I started as an employee in 1996, I was made an assistant manager in ’97 and I was a general manager by ’99,” said Gayler.
“I was 18 years old when I started working at Domino’s,” he said. “I was a high school drop out—and look at me now,” Gayler said to one of his new employees.
“I started in September of 1996—I loved it. By May of 1997 I told the owner I would buy his three stores,” said Gayler. That owner told Gayler that he might own stores one day, but had no interest in selling his stores. Those are the stores in Potosi, Park Hills and St. Clair that Gayler purchased April 1, 2010.
Gayler told The Salem News that he and his business partner, Steve Wampler, who has been with the company for over 35 years, specialize in building in small towns. “We were looking at town sizes, this seemed right for us,” said Gayler. Gayler’s son Devin who has been with the company for about a decade, will be managing the Domino’s in Salem. “He’s about to close on his house in two weeks,” said Gayler. “So, he’ll be moving to the area.”
Gayler said that he is excited to see his business become a part of the Salem community, both by supporting community events and by supplying 25 plus jobs to the Salem area. “We were hoping to have hired 25 people prior to opening,” said Gayler. “Right now we have 20,” he said. "Something we need is drivers," said Gayler.
