Italian beef, chicken parmesan spice up menu at Gratzie Pizzeria
During the eight months that Gratzie Pizzeria has been open in Hanover Park, customers are finding it offers much more than Chicago-style pizza.
Sandwiches, homemade soups and pasta dishes make up a large portion of the menu at the restaurant, 5682 Arlington Drive East, about a quarter-mile from the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. The business offers delivery and catering services.
Estelle and Demetri Priovolos of Lake Zurich own and operate Gratzie, which features about 12 pastas and 15 sandwiches. "The sandwiches are big. They're all 10 inches," Estelle said. The Italian beef, selling for $5.20, and the $7 chicken parmesan are frequent picks, she said.
Estelle added that with all the industrial businesses in the area, the catering service is taking off.
"And of course on the weekends, the pizzas are constantly flying out of here," she said.
The pizzeria sells pizza by the slice throughout the day. The $3 slice is a quarter of a large pizza served with a drink. "This is very popular," said Estelle, 47.
Everything is made to order. "We use pure mozzarella cheese and we make our own dough and sauces," Estelle added.
Prior to launching the pizzeria, the couple owned a Jullianni's restaurant in Palos Heights. They sold their part of the business to Estelle's brother, Bill Malliaras.
Estelle's family has been in the pizza business. It was her uncle, Ted Danos, who persuaded them to launch their own place and assists in the operation.
The couple said it seemed Hanover Park was in need for this type of pizzeria.
Their three daughters DeeDee, 18, Anastasia, 14, and Christina, 10, assist in running the business. The family hopes to add other locations in the future.
The business is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, call (630) 213-3222 or check out www.gratzie-pizzeria.com.
Volunteer work
Handyman Matters franchisees are lending senior citizens a helping hand.
In honor of Senior Citizens Day, each franchisee will provide a senior with two hours of free handy work services.
The company-wide volunteering effort is a way to give back to a valued group of customers, said Colette Bell, CEO of Handyman Matters Franchise Co.
Andy and Colette Bell founded Handyman Matters in 1977. They started franchising in 2001. All craftspeople are background screened, bonded and insured employees of the company. Handyman Matters has received consistent ranking in Franchise 500 and Entrepreneur magazines.