GLPBA honors Favorite's Pizzeria as 2004 Business of the Year

by Sandy Hays-Mies, Executive Director, GLBPA
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, May 22, 2004

Gary Favorite (center) poses with his daughter Alica and grandson, while two longtime employees look on.

As part of its recognition of area business and community members for this year's Celebration of Greater Lewiston Gala -- "The River Region" -- Sunday, June 6 at the Niagara Falls Country Club, the GLBPA continues its profiles on the 2004 honorees.

In today's Sentinel, we take a look at Favorite's Pizzeria, a standout among Lewiston area eating establishments, recognized as GLBPA's 2004 Business of the Year.

Eighteen years ago, Gary Favorite took a leap of faith and opened his own pizzeria. Starting a small business anywhere is risky but opening up a pizza parlor in Western New York -- where pizzerias are about as common as a snowstorm in January -- well that's a bit more daring.

Looking back now, he credits his courage to youthful optimism and a great deal of support and encouragement from his family.

Gary started in the business at 15 years old when he worked as a delivery boy for his uncle and pizza icon, Buzzy Cirrito who operated Buzzy's Pizzeria in LaSalle. Under Uncle Buzzy's tutelage, Gary paid close attention to every detail of the business. In 1984, he landed a job as the manager of Frontier Lanes Pizzeria and his education continued. He also sized up the area and felt that this was a fertile market for a new pizzeria. In 1986, Favorite's opened up shop at its present facility located on Cayuga Street in the Mini Plaza.

Gary recruited his aunt, sister, wife, nephew and the family patriarch, Peter Favorite to come work for him. Eventually, as family members moved on to other careers or retired, Gary replaced them with loyal employees who have been with him now for years. Generally speaking, employee turnover in restaurants is high but Gary has been fortunate. He has long-time employees who treat the business as if it were their own.

The older generation of Favorites has been replaced by a new crop. Gary's son, Mark, now delivers for him; his wife, Shannon, manages the accounting and office work; his daughter, Alicia, works full time behind the counter and his grandson, Tyler, folds pizza boxes, helps make the dough and fills in wherever needed. Tyler rounds out the fourth generation in the business.

The community has been good to Favorite's. The size of the pizzeria has doubled and it now employs over a dozen people. Out of their little kitchen, they roll out over 62,000 pizzas annually. Their menu has expanded to include salads, homemade soups, turnovers, sandwiches and a variety of specialty pizzas.

While the community has been good to Gary, Favorites has also been good to the community. As long as the cause is a good one, Gary is right there to donate whenever asked. He sponsors three baseball leagues, volunteers his time coaching his grandson's team, participates in the annual Taste of Lewiston and is a great supporter of the GLBPA.

Gary credits the success of Favorites to three things; quality products, loyal employees and striving for 100 percent customer satisfaction.

Looking back now, Gary is pleased with his career choice. "The long hours aren't so bad when you are working with your family," he said. His success has allowed him to live a comfortable lifestyle and in his own words, "This doesn't even feel like work." What more could one ask for?

Gary and Shannon Favorite reside in Lewiston with their son, Mark.