A Slice of Kindnes
Gus & Lisa Sokos Cook Up Great Pizza & Generosity
WORDS: Amy Bell
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Gus and Lisa Sokos,
owners of Bradenton’s
famous Demetrios’
Pizza, dish out more than
delicious pizza. They also
serve up a heaping helping of
community support.
“I was 12 years old when we
arrived in Bradenton and went
to work in the family business,”
says Gus, who now owns and
operates the family business.
“I met a lot of wonderful people
because of the restaurant. This
community embraced us, and
we know that without them we
would have nothing. My father
always said, ‘Be good to people
and they will be good to you.’”
A Taste of
the Old Country
Gus’ father and mother, Demetrios and Helen, were immigrants
from Greece. After being invited to join several other family
members going into the restaurant business, they moved to
Bradenton with their son Gus and Helen’s sister Paula Ludera
in 1976. With recipes from the old country and plenty of family
support, they soon established Demetrios’ Pizza House.
Offering great food, top-notch service and low prices, Demetrios’
quickly attracted customers from all over the Bradenton area
and beyond. As Bradenton grew, so did the family business.
“At one time we were operating five restaurants from Sarasota,
Bradenton, St. Petersburg, Tampa and Holiday,” Gus explains.
“It was a family effort.”
Although he was just a boy, Gus was an important part of this
family effort - and his childhood looked quite different from that of
his peers. “Growing up in the family business had its advantages
as everyone loves pizza, so it was easy to make friends,” he recalls.
“Of course, I spent many weekends busing tables and washing
dishes. I didn’t get to attend many Friday night high school football
games as work came first.”
Today, the only remaining
Demetrios’ Pizza location is
the restaurant in Bradenton.
“The rest have sold and moved
back to Greece,” Gus adds. “In
1984, I bought out my parents
and partnered with my Aunt
Paula, who still oversees the
daily kitchen duties.” Sadly, Gus’
father passed away in 2014.
Giving Back
to Manatee
From the very beginning,
community involvement has been
a priority for Demetrios’ Pizza.
“My parents moved to a new
country to have a better life,” Gus
emphasizes. “Their family home
in Greece had dirt floors, and
they wanted something better.”
He says when they came to the
U.S., they worked their fingers to the bone to build Demetrios’
Pizza. Their hard work paid off. In 1982, the group realized a
dream and became American citizens.
“Our family has been blessed,” Gus adds. “I am very fortunate
and understand that someone gave us a chance to become
something. We live here. We work here, and we contribute to our
town. Doing something good for someone inspires me each day.”
Gus says he has enjoyed volunteering since he was in high
school. He started out as a youth soccer coach and eventually
became the president of Palma Sola Soccer Club. “For years,
I sat on the Downtown Development Authority for the City of
Bradenton and watched the streetscape beautify our town and
the Riverwalk come to fruition,” he says. He also spent years on
the Board of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Better Business
Council, helping businesses flourish in county.
Today, Gus and his wife Lisa are members of The Gold Star Club,
a group of 45 concerned couples from Manatee County. The
organization raises reward money for information leading to arrests
for murder and serious crimes against children in our community.
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