May 7, 2026 • 15 mins
Peppinos is a name most West Michigan locals recognize, but the origin is pure Standale: one shop, a family hustle, and a neighborhood that has transformed around it. We’re joined by Joe DiLeonardo as Peppinos celebrates 50 years in business in 2026, and he takes us back to the earliest days, when the drive felt long, the back lot still had trees, and a kid could grow up learning the rhythms of a pizza kitchen. Along the way, we swap memories of Walker landmarks and how a local restaurant becomes part of a community’s personal timeline.
We dig into the real reasons long-running restaurants survive when so many don’t. Joe shares how Peppinos stays consistent by investing in people and refusing to let quality slide, from grinding their own cheese to keeping core ingredients made from scratch. We also talk about adapting to modern realities like volume demands and post-COVID challenges without abandoning what made the pizza special in the first place, including the operational shift from old-school deck ovens to equipment that can keep up.
The conversation widens into the next generation and what growth looks like when it’s driven by family passion: catering, the Peppino's Hospitality Group, an event center, and West Side Social. Joe also lays out blunt, practical entrepreneurship advice for anyone starting a business in Walker, Michigan or anywhere else: the first 5 to 10 years take real sacrifice and being all in. We wrap with details on the 50th anniversary celebration, including half-off 14-inch pizzas and free pizzas for the first families at the Standale location. If you enjoy local business stories, family business leadership, and the craft behind great pizza, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find Made in Walker.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY
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SPEAKER_02 (00:07):
Welcome to Maiden Walker, a podcast that connects
you to the people, the stories,and the ideas shaping our
community.
From local innovators toeveryday change makers, we're
diving deep into what makesWalker a great place to live,
work, and grow.
Here's your host, NicoleDiDonato.
SPEAKER_01 (00:26):
Did you know one of West Michigan's most recognized
pizza chains actually got itsstart in Standale?
Well, now in 2026, Papinoscelebrates 50 years in business,
and we're joined by Joe DiLeonardo to talk about the
family legacy and maybe what'snext for Papinos.
Thank you so much for taking thetime to join us today.
SPEAKER_00 (00:44):
Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01 (00:45):
Yeah, so what are your earliest memories of uh the
family shop?
SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Um honestly, uh I was six years old when we
started um Papinos.
I just remember kind of uh inthe location right there where
the laundromat is in Standale,the high tone, um, we were in
that building, and I remember asa kid, um, there was no roads
back there.
There was trees, and me and mybuddy would go there and just
(01:09):
ride our bikes and just playaround in the back.
And you know, it's just Iremember as a kid, it was such a
far drive.
We lived in Wyoming, and it wasjust I felt like we were driving
to Detroit.
Like, oh my gosh, just such along drive.
And now you think abouteverything, it's 15 minutes
away.
So there's yeah, a millionmemories, but um yeah, it's
(01:31):
Standale's grown.
I just remember what it was thenand now, and the you know, all
the growth of Meyer.
I remember the original Meyer inStandale when I was driving by
um on the corner where Walgreensis.
I remember the Vista Drive-in.
unknown (01:45):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (01:47):
I think E.T., the movie.
Yes, sure.
I remember as a kid.
This is a memory I always have,is when I was driving up to uh
Wilson, hanging a left, we'dalways drive by the Vista where
the Meyer is now.
And I remember looking up allthe time, there was a movie
playing.
And I always remember E.T.
on the screen.
Like I just remember that.
I think it was like 81.
(02:07):
Yeah, 81, 82, something likethat.
Something like that.
I remember that memory and andon and on.
Just yeah, it's crazy.
And yeah, for a family, youknow, growing up in Wyoming, how
did they choose the stand-illocation to be the first place
to um uh so my dad, you know,the founder um and my uncle both
worked at Keeler Brass factorydowntown, and they um they had a
(02:30):
pizza shop before that, but thenthey worked at the factory and
they were working a bunch ofjobs.
And I my dad just uh I'm notsure really why he picked
Standale.
I just know that as a kid, Iremember, hey, um, we're opening
a pizza shop and it happened tobe on Lake Michigan Drive in
Standale.
Um I remember as a kid, um ithad to be in the late 70s, um,
(02:56):
making big orders and deliveringthem to the factory.
You know, my mom would work inthe pizza pizzeria.
Um, so I remember those, butyeah, Standale was it.
And uh I think you know, theystarted, I think it was a lot
Grand Valley was college backthen, so I thought they thought,
you know, let's we can deliverto the college.
Yeah.
There was nothing in Allendale.
(03:17):
Yeah.
And um so we just delivered fromStandale to the college.
I think that was a big pull.
Um and then they ended upeventually opening the other one
in '81 in Allendale.
But yeah, I remember that.
I remember a lot more than Ithought.
I'm I'm surprised what Iremember, honestly.
SPEAKER_01 (03:35):
Yeah.
And you know, I'm sure that whenyour dad and uncle open up the
business, they weren't thinkinglike, oh, fit, we're gonna be,
you know, in 50 years, we'restill gonna be here.
So pretty incredible to createthat legacy.
What do you think it is aboutPapinos that really helps
sustain it through the years?
SPEAKER_00 (03:50):
Well, a lot of it is, you know, we've been very
fortunate to have um employeesthat have been working for us in
Standale location.
Um, I've got a group, I havePaul, Tom, and Tara have been
with me for 26 years.
That's huge.
Um, before that, I was there,you know, for always there all
the time, day in and day out,um, just making sure we continue
(04:15):
to make everything from scratch.
And to this day, um, we I thinkwe're one of the only pizzarias,
like very few of us, that grindour own cheese and make our own
everything from scratch still,our own sausage, everything.
Um, and we're just kind ofstubborn, we're gonna just keep
doing it.
Um so we're yeah, prettypassionate about that.
SPEAKER_01 (04:34):
Love that.
You know, it's incredibly rareto hear this um about businesses
lasting so long, especially inthe food service industry.
You hear a lot of it nowpost-COVID, and just um what
kind of changes have you had tomake and kind of roll through um
throughout the the decades?
Did I mean stay relevant?
SPEAKER_00 (04:52):
We need to I think you know, uh some of the changes
we we made, which was hard forus because back old school
pizzarias, we all we had thedeck ovens in there with a
stone, and they were they cookedpizzas, you know, yeah they
seared them on the stone, it washot, but they were just limited
to volume and it's they're sohot.
(05:14):
And back in the day when I wasin the pizzeria's in the 80s and
90s, we had no air, you know,and it was you couldn't turn
those off.
So then you'd get to work thenext morning, and they it was
already so hot in there, andthen the volume, I started
picking up school orders andbigger, you know, accounts like
that, and I'm like, man, so ourbiggest thing was is um change
(05:35):
into the conveyor style oven,which they've come a long way
since uh when we started that.
But other than that, honestly,it's just you know, keeping good
good help in there and keepingcommitted to just making
everything from scratch.
We just don't sway from that.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (05:50):
So and you can tell the difference, you know.
That's uh very noticeable.
And you know, was it somethingalways that you thought you were
just automatically gonna takeover the business, or did you
have other plans?
SPEAKER_00 (06:00):
But yeah, I I I think I knew in high school um
that I was just gonna um takeover one of the pizzerias.
I was working with my dad and myuncle Papino, which he they were
partners, so he ended up umtaking over the stay and
location.
My dad opened the Allendale, soI was always working back and
forth all the time, and and Idecided, you know, that's what I
(06:22):
loved.
I've been doing it since I was akid, it was just everything was
natural, and uh um I just had apassion for it, and uh yeah, so
I was probably in my in highschool I knew that's what I
wanted to do, honestly, andgoing forward.
And and my dad always just wouldjust I took over, I think, when
I was 20 in Standale.
Um, so I've already owned it for30, almost 36 years myself.
(06:46):
Um geez, ages me.
But um no, I just and then I gotbored quickly and I just wanted
to keep growing, and then Istarted to want to franchise and
you know, people started askingabout it, and then you know, on
and on.
And um, and now my kids arepretty much all following in my
footsteps.
So third generation, you know.
SPEAKER_01 (07:06):
That's great, and it's kind of how you've uh
evolved as well, opening up thePapinos Hospitality Group, just
expanding that way, BanquetCenter.
That was that kind of likealways your vision for what she
wanted to really.
SPEAKER_00 (07:18):
Um, I think you know, the catering, we started
Madelena's catering um probably2010 or 11.
Um and then down the road, um,you know, my daughter now is
involved, and we did a lot ofoff-site catering, and they were
just like, Man, this is so muchwork and loading trucks and
doing all this, and all thesepeople did these venues, and we
(07:39):
can do it better.
And so it kind of all mydaughter just kind of said, Hey
dad, I want to go to GrandValley, I want to do
hospitality, and this is what Iwant to do.
So that kind of drove me to dothe event center West Side
Social Um Tavern.
That was my son Anthony, whichhe said to he was working at the
pizzeria, he's like, you know, Ilike pizza's dad, but I want to
(08:01):
do something cool and different.
I mean, not that pizza's notcool.
So he went to the you knowinstitute down here at Secchia
um for culinary and and then weended up opening the the West
Side Social for Anthony to kindof you know do his passion and
love.
And so we kind of, you know,it's kind of the reason for that
kind of stuff.
I mean the kids drove that alittle bit.
(08:22):
And then my family and my wife,all of them just support and
help.
And I mean, I couldn't do itwithout them, obviously.
It takes a lot of work, um a lotof hours and missing things and
you know, with the kids growingup.
So um, but you know, I think nowthe kids understand it and and
they're loving it, and yeah,it's it's great.
SPEAKER_01 (08:40):
It'd be a very proud dad to kind of see them go off
on their specific ventures andsee those flourish themselves.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:45):
No, it's funny.
They they're they're in it anduh they see how much work it is,
and they always want to opendifferent things, and I think
they're getting to the point nowwe're like, okay, I think we
have it we have enough.
I think I said, yeah, let's justrelax and let's concentrate what
we have.
It's a lot of work nowadays.
Help getting the right peoplein, you know, in is hard, you
(09:06):
know, to hire the right peoplenow is hard.
It's just it's getting harderand harder.
unknown (09:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (09:11):
But um, but like I said, we're very fortunate.
We have great people on staff,and we're only as successful as
what we have is for employees.
I mean, they are awesome,they're all family, so it's it's
we're pretty lucky that way.
SPEAKER_01 (09:22):
And that longevity with the the people who work for
you, that speaks volumes to theculture that you have.
And what do you think aboutthose family values you've been
you've been able to takethroughout the decades and pass
down to the next generation?
What is what are some of thosevalues that you hold so dear?
SPEAKER_00 (09:35):
I that's what I mean.
I tell my kids like, guys, umyou have to treat everybody like
family, like your employees aresuper important, and that's what
I've learned over the years.
I've taught my kids, and I thinkeverybody is just um, you know,
value all your employees, treatthem like they're literally your
family, and they will take careof you.
(09:55):
And that's what I've learnedover the years.
My dad told me that, you know,too.
He always, my dad always treatedeverybody so nice, and so he
never really got upset ever.
And I just watched him, and andthat's what I learned from my
dad, and I'm just trying to passthat on and say, guys, I know
it's tough, but just valueeveryone and know how important
they are for your success, andand that's kind of what I've
(10:17):
tried to, you know, pass on tothem.
SPEAKER_01 (10:19):
That's a fantastic mindset.
And and now coming up on 50years, what are some of the big
plans that you have?
Is it May 12th is the exact kindof May 12th?
SPEAKER_00 (10:28):
We're looking at um I think all the Papinos
locations we're going to do umhalf off all 14-inch pizzas,
just from noon to eight all day.
Any 14-inch pizza, I think youcan get up to three of them.
Okay.
So you can do half off all dayfor the 50th anniversary.
Uh stand-al location, we aregonna do that, but we also at 4
p.m.
(10:48):
are gonna um give away 50 freepizzas.
So the first 50 families thatcome in will receive a free
pizza.
So I mean, that's kind of whatwe want to do.
And we thought I want to get inthere and throw the old apron on
and man, I can still sling.
So yeah, oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (11:05):
How'd you learn that?
Did you have some like flopstoo?
SPEAKER_00 (11:08):
I mean, is that you know, as a kid, like it's like
anything when you grow up in it,and I just I loved, you know,
it's funny.
I growing up, you see pizzarolls and all this stuff in the
grocery stores, and I and welaugh, we go, me and my buddy
that used to work there like, wecreated those things back in the
day.
Like, we it's just you grow upin it and and you create all the
(11:28):
stuff, and but no, it's naturalto me.
I mean, I still, whereverpizzery I am, if I'm at downtown
or wherever and they're busy andI'll jump in the kitchen, I'll
bang out pizzas, and they justlove it.
You know, and a lot of the newemployees will go, Who's this
guy?
He, oh my gosh, he's like, andthey're like, Oh, that's the
Papino, yeah, or whatever theywhatever they call me.
And um, you know, I can makethem like I did back in the day.
(11:52):
It's just it's it's like ridinga bike.
Yeah, and I enjoy I enjoy it tome, you know.
Life gets busy with doing whatwe're doing, but just to sit
there and make a pizza sometimesit's just awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (12:04):
Therapeutic.
SPEAKER_00 (12:04):
It is therapeutic.
It's just I love it, you know.
So I do enjoy doing that.
So I do enjoy, I want to dothat, like I said, for their
anniversary.
I want to be there and I want tomake some pizzas.
And I know so many customers.
And again, like my kids beingthird generation, we have third
generation customers inStandale, and they I have kids
that come in and see me andthey're like, hey, remember when
(12:27):
my dad threw me on, always setme on the counter and you'd feed
me pepperoni.
And I'm just like, yeah, I doremember that.
I can't believe you rememberthat.
It's just it's awesome to youknow see that.
SPEAKER_01 (12:40):
What a feeling to hear those stories and how you
were part of familyanniversaries, parties.
They always had Papinos.
SPEAKER_00 (12:46):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (12:47):
So that's pretty incredible.
SPEAKER_00 (12:49):
We're very fortunate.
And uh yeah.
So we're looking forward to the50th anniversary and hopefully
50 more.
So you know, the kids theresaying, hey dad, we're 50 more.
I said, Well, I won't be aroundfor 50 more, but yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (13:02):
But what a legacy and that name that's just gonna
live on now in West Michiganhistory.
That's uh that's pretty cool tohave.
SPEAKER_00 (13:08):
No, we're very uh we're very lucky and fortunate
and blessed to have you know 50years under our belt.
So yeah, it's awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (13:16):
And uh for businesses that are looking to
you and just you know, maybeentrepreneurs that are looking
to get started, uh, what is somekind of sound business advice
you could give to uh a nextgeneration of folks that want to
be successful in whatever kindof career it is?
SPEAKER_00 (13:29):
Yeah, I mean it's it's like the pizza business or
any business.
If if you're gonna be anentrepreneur and and start a
business, I mean it's veryimportant that you spend the
first five, ten years all in.
You you know, a lot of peopleopen and they just want to make
it an investment and they justthrow people in there and think
you have to put your time in.
(13:50):
There's sacrifice, familysacrifice.
I mean, just you know it's theonly way you're gonna be
successful.
Um that's what I've seen overthe years.
And you know, when we openrestaurants, we just open
another one, and my son is hewas working 100 hour weeks, and
I'm like the first month, andI'm like, it's part of the game,
kid.
You know, you gotta commit anduh put your time in.
SPEAKER_01 (14:11):
Um so yeah, you stick it out, and you know,
people see what special productsyou have, and it it's all gonna
be worth it.
SPEAKER_00 (14:17):
So be committed to it and and don't sway.
And once you get your mindset,you want to do fret, you know,
like we do.
It's like we are who we are, andeverything's from scratch, and
you just gotta stay with it.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (14:29):
Well, Joe, we're so excited that we can kind of
claim you and Walker as thefirst uh location there, but
really proud of what you'vebuilt there and what you all do
for our community, especially.
And we're happy to celebrate 50years.
So congratulations.
Thank you.
Appreciate that.
Yeah.
And thank you for tuning in forthis episode.
SPEAKER_02 (14:44):
Thank you for joining us for this episode of
the Maiden Walker Podcast.
If you have comments orquestions about this podcast, or
if you have suggestions forfuture episodes, we'd love to
hear from you.
Please drop us an email atpodcast at walker.city.
Maiden Walker is the officialpodcast of the city of Walker,
Michigan.
(15:04):
You can find Maiden Walkerwherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome to Maiden Walker, a podcast that connects
you to the people, the stories,and the ideas shaping our
community.
From local innovators toeveryday change makers, we're
diving deep into what makesWalker a great place to live,
work, and grow.
Here's your host, NicoleDiDonato.
SPEAKER_01 (00:26):
Did you know one of West Michigan's most recognized
pizza chains actually got itsstart in Standale?
Well, now in 2026, Papinoscelebrates 50 years in business,
and we're joined by Joe DiLeonardo to talk about the
family legacy and maybe what'snext for Papinos.
Thank you so much for taking thetime to join us today.
SPEAKER_00 (00:44):
Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01 (00:45):
Yeah, so what are your earliest memories of uh the
family shop?
SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Um honestly, uh I was six years old when we
started um Papinos.
I just remember kind of uh inthe location right there where
the laundromat is in Standale,the high tone, um, we were in
that building, and I remember asa kid, um, there was no roads
back there.
There was trees, and me and mybuddy would go there and just
(01:09):
ride our bikes and just playaround in the back.
And you know, it's just Iremember as a kid, it was such a
far drive.
We lived in Wyoming, and it wasjust I felt like we were driving
to Detroit.
Like, oh my gosh, just such along drive.
And now you think abouteverything, it's 15 minutes
away.
So there's yeah, a millionmemories, but um yeah, it's
(01:31):
Standale's grown.
I just remember what it was thenand now, and the you know, all
the growth of Meyer.
I remember the original Meyer inStandale when I was driving by
um on the corner where Walgreensis.
I remember the Vista Drive-in.
unknown (01:45):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (01:47):
I think E.T., the movie.
Yes, sure.
I remember as a kid.
This is a memory I always have,is when I was driving up to uh
Wilson, hanging a left, we'dalways drive by the Vista where
the Meyer is now.
And I remember looking up allthe time, there was a movie
playing.
And I always remember E.T.
on the screen.
Like I just remember that.
I think it was like 81.
(02:07):
Yeah, 81, 82, something likethat.
Something like that.
I remember that memory and andon and on.
Just yeah, it's crazy.
And yeah, for a family, youknow, growing up in Wyoming, how
did they choose the stand-illocation to be the first place
to um uh so my dad, you know,the founder um and my uncle both
worked at Keeler Brass factorydowntown, and they um they had a
(02:30):
pizza shop before that, but thenthey worked at the factory and
they were working a bunch ofjobs.
And I my dad just uh I'm notsure really why he picked
Standale.
I just know that as a kid, Iremember, hey, um, we're opening
a pizza shop and it happened tobe on Lake Michigan Drive in
Standale.
Um I remember as a kid, um ithad to be in the late 70s, um,
(02:56):
making big orders and deliveringthem to the factory.
You know, my mom would work inthe pizza pizzeria.
Um, so I remember those, butyeah, Standale was it.
And uh I think you know, theystarted, I think it was a lot
Grand Valley was college backthen, so I thought they thought,
you know, let's we can deliverto the college.
Yeah.
There was nothing in Allendale.
(03:17):
Yeah.
And um so we just delivered fromStandale to the college.
I think that was a big pull.
Um and then they ended upeventually opening the other one
in '81 in Allendale.
But yeah, I remember that.
I remember a lot more than Ithought.
I'm I'm surprised what Iremember, honestly.
SPEAKER_01 (03:35):
Yeah.
And you know, I'm sure that whenyour dad and uncle open up the
business, they weren't thinkinglike, oh, fit, we're gonna be,
you know, in 50 years, we'restill gonna be here.
So pretty incredible to createthat legacy.
What do you think it is aboutPapinos that really helps
sustain it through the years?
SPEAKER_00 (03:50):
Well, a lot of it is, you know, we've been very
fortunate to have um employeesthat have been working for us in
Standale location.
Um, I've got a group, I havePaul, Tom, and Tara have been
with me for 26 years.
That's huge.
Um, before that, I was there,you know, for always there all
the time, day in and day out,um, just making sure we continue
(04:15):
to make everything from scratch.
And to this day, um, we I thinkwe're one of the only pizzarias,
like very few of us, that grindour own cheese and make our own
everything from scratch still,our own sausage, everything.
Um, and we're just kind ofstubborn, we're gonna just keep
doing it.
Um so we're yeah, prettypassionate about that.
SPEAKER_01 (04:34):
Love that.
You know, it's incredibly rareto hear this um about businesses
lasting so long, especially inthe food service industry.
You hear a lot of it nowpost-COVID, and just um what
kind of changes have you had tomake and kind of roll through um
throughout the the decades?
Did I mean stay relevant?
SPEAKER_00 (04:52):
We need to I think you know, uh some of the changes
we we made, which was hard forus because back old school
pizzarias, we all we had thedeck ovens in there with a
stone, and they were they cookedpizzas, you know, yeah they
seared them on the stone, it washot, but they were just limited
to volume and it's they're sohot.
(05:14):
And back in the day when I wasin the pizzeria's in the 80s and
90s, we had no air, you know,and it was you couldn't turn
those off.
So then you'd get to work thenext morning, and they it was
already so hot in there, andthen the volume, I started
picking up school orders andbigger, you know, accounts like
that, and I'm like, man, so ourbiggest thing was is um change
(05:35):
into the conveyor style oven,which they've come a long way
since uh when we started that.
But other than that, honestly,it's just you know, keeping good
good help in there and keepingcommitted to just making
everything from scratch.
We just don't sway from that.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (05:50):
So and you can tell the difference, you know.
That's uh very noticeable.
And you know, was it somethingalways that you thought you were
just automatically gonna takeover the business, or did you
have other plans?
SPEAKER_00 (06:00):
But yeah, I I I think I knew in high school um
that I was just gonna um takeover one of the pizzerias.
I was working with my dad and myuncle Papino, which he they were
partners, so he ended up umtaking over the stay and
location.
My dad opened the Allendale, soI was always working back and
forth all the time, and and Idecided, you know, that's what I
(06:22):
loved.
I've been doing it since I was akid, it was just everything was
natural, and uh um I just had apassion for it, and uh yeah, so
I was probably in my in highschool I knew that's what I
wanted to do, honestly, andgoing forward.
And and my dad always just wouldjust I took over, I think, when
I was 20 in Standale.
Um, so I've already owned it for30, almost 36 years myself.
(06:46):
Um geez, ages me.
But um no, I just and then I gotbored quickly and I just wanted
to keep growing, and then Istarted to want to franchise and
you know, people started askingabout it, and then you know, on
and on.
And um, and now my kids arepretty much all following in my
footsteps.
So third generation, you know.
SPEAKER_01 (07:06):
That's great, and it's kind of how you've uh
evolved as well, opening up thePapinos Hospitality Group, just
expanding that way, BanquetCenter.
That was that kind of likealways your vision for what she
wanted to really.
SPEAKER_00 (07:18):
Um, I think you know, the catering, we started
Madelena's catering um probably2010 or 11.
Um and then down the road, um,you know, my daughter now is
involved, and we did a lot ofoff-site catering, and they were
just like, Man, this is so muchwork and loading trucks and
doing all this, and all thesepeople did these venues, and we
(07:39):
can do it better.
And so it kind of all mydaughter just kind of said, Hey
dad, I want to go to GrandValley, I want to do
hospitality, and this is what Iwant to do.
So that kind of drove me to dothe event center West Side
Social Um Tavern.
That was my son Anthony, whichhe said to he was working at the
pizzeria, he's like, you know, Ilike pizza's dad, but I want to
(08:01):
do something cool and different.
I mean, not that pizza's notcool.
So he went to the you knowinstitute down here at Secchia
um for culinary and and then weended up opening the the West
Side Social for Anthony to kindof you know do his passion and
love.
And so we kind of, you know,it's kind of the reason for that
kind of stuff.
I mean the kids drove that alittle bit.
(08:22):
And then my family and my wife,all of them just support and
help.
And I mean, I couldn't do itwithout them, obviously.
It takes a lot of work, um a lotof hours and missing things and
you know, with the kids growingup.
So um, but you know, I think nowthe kids understand it and and
they're loving it, and yeah,it's it's great.
SPEAKER_01 (08:40):
It'd be a very proud dad to kind of see them go off
on their specific ventures andsee those flourish themselves.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (08:45):
No, it's funny.
They they're they're in it anduh they see how much work it is,
and they always want to opendifferent things, and I think
they're getting to the point nowwe're like, okay, I think we
have it we have enough.
I think I said, yeah, let's justrelax and let's concentrate what
we have.
It's a lot of work nowadays.
Help getting the right peoplein, you know, in is hard, you
(09:06):
know, to hire the right peoplenow is hard.
It's just it's getting harderand harder.
unknown (09:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (09:11):
But um, but like I said, we're very fortunate.
We have great people on staff,and we're only as successful as
what we have is for employees.
I mean, they are awesome,they're all family, so it's it's
we're pretty lucky that way.
SPEAKER_01 (09:22):
And that longevity with the the people who work for
you, that speaks volumes to theculture that you have.
And what do you think aboutthose family values you've been
you've been able to takethroughout the decades and pass
down to the next generation?
What is what are some of thosevalues that you hold so dear?
SPEAKER_00 (09:35):
I that's what I mean.
I tell my kids like, guys, umyou have to treat everybody like
family, like your employees aresuper important, and that's what
I've learned over the years.
I've taught my kids, and I thinkeverybody is just um, you know,
value all your employees, treatthem like they're literally your
family, and they will take careof you.
(09:55):
And that's what I've learnedover the years.
My dad told me that, you know,too.
He always, my dad always treatedeverybody so nice, and so he
never really got upset ever.
And I just watched him, and andthat's what I learned from my
dad, and I'm just trying to passthat on and say, guys, I know
it's tough, but just valueeveryone and know how important
they are for your success, andand that's kind of what I've
(10:17):
tried to, you know, pass on tothem.
SPEAKER_01 (10:19):
That's a fantastic mindset.
And and now coming up on 50years, what are some of the big
plans that you have?
Is it May 12th is the exact kindof May 12th?
SPEAKER_00 (10:28):
We're looking at um I think all the Papinos
locations we're going to do umhalf off all 14-inch pizzas,
just from noon to eight all day.
Any 14-inch pizza, I think youcan get up to three of them.
Okay.
So you can do half off all dayfor the 50th anniversary.
Uh stand-al location, we aregonna do that, but we also at 4
p.m.
(10:48):
are gonna um give away 50 freepizzas.
So the first 50 families thatcome in will receive a free
pizza.
So I mean, that's kind of whatwe want to do.
And we thought I want to get inthere and throw the old apron on
and man, I can still sling.
So yeah, oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (11:05):
How'd you learn that?
Did you have some like flopstoo?
SPEAKER_00 (11:08):
I mean, is that you know, as a kid, like it's like
anything when you grow up in it,and I just I loved, you know,
it's funny.
I growing up, you see pizzarolls and all this stuff in the
grocery stores, and I and welaugh, we go, me and my buddy
that used to work there like, wecreated those things back in the
day.
Like, we it's just you grow upin it and and you create all the
(11:28):
stuff, and but no, it's naturalto me.
I mean, I still, whereverpizzery I am, if I'm at downtown
or wherever and they're busy andI'll jump in the kitchen, I'll
bang out pizzas, and they justlove it.
You know, and a lot of the newemployees will go, Who's this
guy?
He, oh my gosh, he's like, andthey're like, Oh, that's the
Papino, yeah, or whatever theywhatever they call me.
And um, you know, I can makethem like I did back in the day.
(11:52):
It's just it's it's like ridinga bike.
Yeah, and I enjoy I enjoy it tome, you know.
Life gets busy with doing whatwe're doing, but just to sit
there and make a pizza sometimesit's just awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (12:04):
Therapeutic.
SPEAKER_00 (12:04):
It is therapeutic.
It's just I love it, you know.
So I do enjoy doing that.
So I do enjoy, I want to dothat, like I said, for their
anniversary.
I want to be there and I want tomake some pizzas.
And I know so many customers.
And again, like my kids beingthird generation, we have third
generation customers inStandale, and they I have kids
that come in and see me andthey're like, hey, remember when
(12:27):
my dad threw me on, always setme on the counter and you'd feed
me pepperoni.
And I'm just like, yeah, I doremember that.
I can't believe you rememberthat.
It's just it's awesome to youknow see that.
SPEAKER_01 (12:40):
What a feeling to hear those stories and how you
were part of familyanniversaries, parties.
They always had Papinos.
SPEAKER_00 (12:46):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (12:47):
So that's pretty incredible.
SPEAKER_00 (12:49):
We're very fortunate.
And uh yeah.
So we're looking forward to the50th anniversary and hopefully
50 more.
So you know, the kids theresaying, hey dad, we're 50 more.
I said, Well, I won't be aroundfor 50 more, but yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (13:02):
But what a legacy and that name that's just gonna
live on now in West Michiganhistory.
That's uh that's pretty cool tohave.
SPEAKER_00 (13:08):
No, we're very uh we're very lucky and fortunate
and blessed to have you know 50years under our belt.
So yeah, it's awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (13:16):
And uh for businesses that are looking to
you and just you know, maybeentrepreneurs that are looking
to get started, uh, what is somekind of sound business advice
you could give to uh a nextgeneration of folks that want to
be successful in whatever kindof career it is?
SPEAKER_00 (13:29):
Yeah, I mean it's it's like the pizza business or
any business.
If if you're gonna be anentrepreneur and and start a
business, I mean it's veryimportant that you spend the
first five, ten years all in.
You you know, a lot of peopleopen and they just want to make
it an investment and they justthrow people in there and think
you have to put your time in.
(13:50):
There's sacrifice, familysacrifice.
I mean, just you know it's theonly way you're gonna be
successful.
Um that's what I've seen overthe years.
And you know, when we openrestaurants, we just open
another one, and my son is hewas working 100 hour weeks, and
I'm like the first month, andI'm like, it's part of the game,
kid.
You know, you gotta commit anduh put your time in.
SPEAKER_01 (14:11):
Um so yeah, you stick it out, and you know,
people see what special productsyou have, and it it's all gonna
be worth it.
SPEAKER_00 (14:17):
So be committed to it and and don't sway.
And once you get your mindset,you want to do fret, you know,
like we do.
It's like we are who we are, andeverything's from scratch, and
you just gotta stay with it.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (14:29):
Well, Joe, we're so excited that we can kind of
claim you and Walker as thefirst uh location there, but
really proud of what you'vebuilt there and what you all do
for our community, especially.
And we're happy to celebrate 50years.
So congratulations.
Thank you.
Appreciate that.
Yeah.
And thank you for tuning in forthis episode.
SPEAKER_02 (14:44):
Thank you for joining us for this episode of
the Maiden Walker Podcast.
If you have comments orquestions about this podcast, or
if you have suggestions forfuture episodes, we'd love to
hear from you.
Please drop us an email atpodcast at walker.city.
Maiden Walker is the officialpodcast of the city of Walker,
Michigan.
(15:04):
You can find Maiden Walkerwherever you get your podcasts.
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