THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 27, 1995 TAG: 9501260160
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
Jimmy Papadopoulos is rolling in dough once again and that should make pizza and submarine sandwich lovers happy.
After a seven-year hiatus, the once and future restaurateur returned to the food business at a new shop at the foot of Lesner Bridge on Shore Drive in 1992.
The Greek immigrant first came to Tidewater in 1966 and opened the original Jimmy's Pizza House on Tidewater Drive that year.
He eventually expanded to 11 shops and also operated two stores on a contract basis with the Navy at Oceana Naval Air Station and Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.
``All my life, I've been a baker,'' said Jimmy P, 65 and spry.
But that's not all he's been. The native of Salonika, Greece, spent two years in the Greek Royal Navy, sailed all over the world on Aristotle Onassis' ships for another two and left his homeland for New York City in 1954. He worked in the New World as a baker, first in New York and then in New London, Conn.
There, he met Mary in 1957.
``It was love at first sight,'' she said.
Jimmy P smiled shyly and nodded in agreement.
He started in the pizza business in New England, making his own dough from scratch.
Mary had a sister living in Tidewater and the Papadopoulos family - by then there were three children, Harriet, Steve and Greg - left New England for warmer climes.
Word of Jimmy's pizza spread quickly and the family business expanded to Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth and Suffolk.
``In those days, there weren't many pizza places,'' said Jimmy. ``Now the pizza business is so competitive.''
Once pizzas proliferated, Jimmy P left the restaurant business. He was no stranger to hammer and nails. He had built warehouses, apartments, shopping centers and houses, so he and his family formed Papadopoulos Properties in 1985.
``We started building properties and selling them,'' he said.
Why, then, did the late-blooming real estate tycoon leave investment property for the pizza ovens once again?
``Tax laws changed,'' he said.
The Papadopouloses sold many of their holdings and started planning another food-service venture. One piece of land that they didn't sell was hard by the western foot of the Lesner Bridge.
``We planned it for about a year,'' said Steve, 31, and the only one of the siblings still actively involved in the business.
Classified as a convenience store, Jimmy's Subs-n-Stuff sells bait, ice, beer - essentials for the anglers and crabbers. It is open seven days a week, year-round except for holidays. But the food is still the feature as it was when Jimmy first started cooking.
``Fresh is the key word,'' said Greg, 29, a silent partner who works for a real estate company. ``Dad makes all the food from scratch. Pizza, lasagna, subs. We mix our own sausages. All the beef is ground on-site. All deli meats are sliced on the premises.''
Mom Mary said, ``Jimmy developed all his own recipes over the years.'' She describes herself as ``another silent partner. I'm second-in-command.''
The three children grew up in various Jimmy's Pizza Houses.
``Washing dishes and pots and pans builds character,'' said Greg.
Jimmy added, ``We spent lots of hours in restaurants.''
According to Mom, ``Lots of varicose veins. We taught the kids how to work hard and make a buck since they were 8 years old.''
Steve still spends lots of hours making his living at the latest Jimmy's, but Harriet, 34, lives and works as a dress designer in New York City.
``She's happy,'' said Momma P, ``but I didn't like it.''
To keep her hand in and her mother happy, Harriet returns to Jimmy's each summer for a while.
And it is the summer that she is most needed.
``The locals buy stuff all year, but, the summer's really busy with all the people coming to the beach,'' said Steve.
``This is what I know best. What I grew up with. I was raised in it.'' Momma P nodded. ``It's a family affair.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH
``All my life, I've been a baker,'' said Jimmy Papadopoulos, who
opened Jimmy's Pizza House on Tidewater Drive in 1966.
Classified as a convenience store, Jimmy's Subs-n-Stuff sells bait,
ice, beer - and, of course, pizza.
Jimmy's Subs-n-Stuff is at the western foot of the Lesner Bridge.
``We figured it would be a great location for this type of
business,'' said Steve Papadopoulos.
by CNB