WEST CHESTER TWP. — Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers is bringing fresh ingredients and a funky decor to its first southwest Ohio location this summer.

The Atlanta-based pizza ‘n’ pub chain is renovating the space at 9238 Floer Drive, near Union Centre Boulevard, the former site of Rafferty’s Restaurant and Bar. The eatery is expected to open in July.

Mellow Mushroom, which serves dine-in and carry-out crowds, offers craft pizzas with 49 toppings from which to choose, soups, salads, calzones, grilled and deli hoagies, and more than 70 craft beers - 24 of them on tap. Options for vegans, vegetarians, children and those on a gluten-free diet are also on the menu.

The new location will bring 100 jobs to the region, about 20 of them full-time, said owner Kevin Molony, who also owns and operates a location in Wilder, Ky., eight miles south of downtown Cincinnati.

What sets Mellow Mushroom apart from its competition is the freshness of its ingredients, Molony said.

“The dough is magical,” he said. “That’s what attracted me. It’s more wheat-based than flour and it uses molasses instead of sugar and spring water instead of tap water.”

The new location’s one-of-a-kind decor will feature a large “Shroomville” mural influenced by the region’s amusement park heritage, and a roller coaster car and rail that will extend from the ceiling into the main dining area. An open kitchen will allows guests to view chefs as they twirl and toss pizza dough into the air. Trivia nights, special events and a beer club will be offered.

“It’s a unique, funky environment,” Molony said.

The pizza chain got its start in 1974 when three hippies opened the first Mellow Mushroom near Georgia Tech’s campus in Atlanta, Molony said. There are now 120 Mellow Mushroom restaurants nationwide in 15 states, including Ohio locations in Dublin and Columbus.

“The combination of pizza and beer have stood the test of time,” Molony said. “They cut across all ages.”

Applications for jobs are available at MellowMushroom.com/Jobs and may be sent to mellowevents@zoomtown.com or 1014 Town Drive, Wilder, Ky., 41076.

Visit the new location on Facebook at tinyurl.com/mellowFB. For a sampling of the menu, go to tinyurl.com/mellowmenu.