Correction: An earlier version of this story had the incorrect day that Denny's will reopen. It will open Thursday.

The Denny’s restaurant on Madonna Road in San Luis Obispo will reopen Thursday nearly a year after a fire forced the business to close its doors.

Owner Ali Tabrizi said the entire store has been remodeled, both inside and out. New artwork, high backed booths and colorful décor will greet customers, he said.

“We decided to do the latest version of Denny’s,” said Tabrizi, who declined to say how much he spent on the improvements. “Everything has been redone, and people walking in will feel like it is a different Denny’s.”

A fire in October 2011, ignited by a gasoline can stored in an electrical room with a water heater and electrical panel, caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and left as many as 40 employees out of work. Some of those employees, placed at other nearby locations, will return. Tabrizi said he has hired more than 20 people to staff the new store.