WAKEFIELD HOUSE OF PIZZA is now in its 50th year. Shown are owner John Mavredakis, right, and his son John. (Gail Lowe Photo)
By GAIL LOWE
WAKEFIELD—On a recent November night, Fred Brizee, owner of Designer Lawn Sprinkler in Wakefield, stopped in at Wakefield House of Pizza to say hello to an old friend and to order some tasty food. The old friend was none other than the owner, John Mavredakis.
“I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid,” Brizee told a writer for the Wakefield Daily Item. “Not only is John a good guy, he’s been more than kind and generous to the community. I’m one of his biggest fans, and so are people in my family.”
Brizee pointed to a display of photos hanging on a wall that show just how generous Mavredakis has been to local and national organizations over the 50 years he’s been in business, organizations like the Wakefield Basketball Association, Wounded Warriors and the Woburn Greek Orthodox Church.
But as generous as John Mavredakis is, he is also a humble man and takes it all in stride. It’s his job, after all, to feed the good people of Wakefield and residents of surrounding communities. He takes this to a high level of service by offering the freshest ingredients available. As an example, his pizza dough is homemade every day of the week.
When he finally scraped together $3,000 from working two jobs, Mavredakis bought the building on Tuttle Street in the fall of 1971 and officially launched in 1972. Seventeen years later, in 1989, he added a dining area adjacent to his main store. For his grand opening, he offered four small pizzas for $1. Plans to celebrate his 50th year have yet to be announced, but he will do something special to commemorate the occasion.
His is a family business that includes his sons John and Rick. Eleeana Mavredakis, John’s wife, has also contributed to the success of the business along with grandchildren Connor and Ryan, age 16; Olivia, 21; Bella, 18 and Caterina, 15. Added to the mix have been high school students who have held part-time jobs at the Tuttle Street shop.
Mavredakis, a Woburn resident, was born in 1947 on the Greek island Crete and moved to the United States in 1969. No one taught him how to run a business, he said. “I had to learn on my own.”
His siblings continue to live on the island, and until the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on the world he visited his relatives every year. “Maybe next year we’ll go again,” he said.
Unlike other businesses, Wakefield House of Pizza continued to thrive during the pandemic, even as the cost of ingredients skyrocketed. A case of chicken wings, for instance, cost $32 before the pandemic. Now, Mavredakis pays $87 for the same amount. But just as customers have continued to cross his threshold for his outstanding veggie and pepperoni pizzas, kabob sandwiches and other wonderful menu items, he is continuing to make his secret sauce and meatballs. “In this season of thanksgiving, I have a lot to be grateful for,” he said.
Mavredakis is hopeful that the Wakefield House of Pizza will grow even more when the new apartment building on Foundry Street is fully occupied. “Not everyone likes to cook when they get home from work,” he said. “We’re here to provide them with meals they can eat right here or take home.”
Wakefield House of Pizza is located at 43 Tuttle St. Visit www.facebook.com/Wakefieldhouseofpizza71/ for the menu. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Cash and credit cards accepted. Phone: 781-245-5580
