Ted’s Pizza Palace in Menomonie is celebrating 55 years of serving pizza to the community in Western Wisconsin.
The restaurant’s journey began on August 4, 1967. Dimitri Gounaikis, the current owner, shared that the family’s pizza business started when 18 family members immigrated from Greece to Northfield, Minnesota. It was there that his uncle opened their first pizza restaurant.
“I’ve had one job my entire life,” Gounaikis said, referring to his long-standing role in the family business. “Making pizzas has been a family tradition passed down from my uncle to my father, and then my brothers.” Gounaikis hopes that his children will also carry on the family’s legacy, though he is mindful of their choices. “I want to see it continue, but I don’t want to jeopardize the reputation we’ve built. I’m never going to push them into anything they don’t want to do.”
Ted’s Pizza Palace, with its deep roots in the family and the community, represents a fulfillment of the American dream. “One restaurant in Northfield was taking care of five families,” Gounaikis explained.
For him, the restaurant’s success is a testament to the hard work of his family, who came to the U.S. from a poor and war-torn country. “It’s like an immigrant’s dream come true,” Gounaikis said, reflecting on the journey from Greece to building a thriving business in America. With 55 years of success, Ted’s Pizza Palace continues to be a symbol of family dedication and perseverance.
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