The Life and Legacy of Nick Pappas

He was a gentle giant, like some kind of benevolent Greek god.  Nick Pappas walked into my office 36 years ago without an appointment and asked to see the architect. He said he wanted to make a restaurant on River Street.  I started to give him my 3-minute pitch, but he started putting $100 bills on my conference table before I could finish.  Nick grinned and asked: “When can you get started?”  I let him continue for a while, and then said “now!”  Later that day we went down to a space that had once been ‘Cap’n Sam’s Wax Museum’ at the base of the City’s office building next to City Hall.  The wax figures had all distorted into gruesome monsters in the heat, and the space was a frightful mess.  There and then Nick and I became great friends, and working together with his partner Vasili we transformed that awful mess into a beautiful Greek restaurant together!

Not long afterwards, I decided that I had to get sober and give up the party life that Savannah makes so easy.  Nick helped me get there, letting me work in the Olympia Café nights and weekends making pizzas the best way, and waiting tables serving up flaming saganaki and shouting “OPA!”  With Nick’s patience, that kept me from missing my drinking buddies and taught me the true meaning of hospitality.  When I fell in love with Janice, I took her to the Olympia Café to introduce her to Nick, and later asked him if he thought she was the one.  On our honeymoon we went to Mykonos and Santorini at Nick’s urging, and had a magical mythical experience together.  Later our family used to go to eat at Nick’s every Sunday after evening mass, and Nick was always full of joy and shaking with quiet laughter.

Nick Pappas will always be remembered as a cornerstone of Savannah’s hospitality, and as a devoted father and great friend.  If I make it to Heaven, I think he will be there to greet me.

-Patrick Shay