I was a superstar when it came to making pizza’s…at least back when I managed Gandalf’s Pizzeria in 1985/86. I had just turned 16 and was going to school full time, and had just bought my first car – a 1971 AMC Javelin…affectionately referred to by all who knew me as the ‘Wease-Mobile’. I had been saddled with the nickname ‘Weasey’ early on in junior-high while playing rugby…my asthma often caused me to be short of breath and my breathing loud and gurgling…it was a true form of endearment from my friends that would follow me right through to college (although later it would evolve to ‘Wease-Man’), and it was a nick name I wore proudly. I had risen through the ranks at Gandalf’s from delivery boy to Manager in just a few short months…and was making big coin at $3.85 per hour…and back then we threw the pizza dough in the air – using a rolling pin was an offense to the trade! If you couldn’t throw pizza dough – you had no business making pizza! My shift started at 4:00 pm and ended at closing time…on the weekends this was usually about 4:00 am…on weekdays I finished all the cleaning and prep for the next day around midnight if I was lucky – home for a few hours sleep, and then off to school. I worked 7 days a week tirelessly for almost 2 years…I am sure this was my version of escaping the privation of my life, much like the workaholic husband does, nonetheless it did instill in me a work ethic that has served me well my whole life. The owners were two suspect characters named Alfie and Peter…who appeared from time to time, but mostly left me to manage the shop…and whom I suspect had other agricultural business interests to keep an eye on, because no one seemed that interested in how much money we made, ha. The best part though about being a teeanger and the manager of a pizzeria was that on the weekends the party always arrived and ended at Gandalf’s! I made a deal with all my friends and anyone who was interested that after 9:00pm on Friday and Saturday the first pizza was full price and the second pizza was free…2-for-1 pizza was born, and yes, I do believe I can take full credit for this piece of marketing genius – no one else was doing it, ha ha ha! Later that same year Gandalf’s received a rather unceremonious recognition in some obscure BC restaurant and tourism magazine as having the best ranked pizza – ya, that’s right No. 1 – on Vancouver Island. What’s funny about this is that it was some 8 months after the magazine had been published that it was brought to my attention…by one of my bosses no less who had discovered it during a trip to Las Vegas! I remember we laughed, “Who knew?!?!”
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Lawrence Lewis
“There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap.” – Kevin James
About Lawrence Lewis
I do a number of things professionally...but most of all and the true purpose of what I do through "my work" is to provide for my family, be a good husband and great father, and try to make a difference as a world citizen...I guess it's not much more complicated than that 🙂