Photograph by Robert Scheer
Pappy's Restaurant owner Greg Sarkissian has been serving up pizzas for nearly 20 years.
By LESTER CHANG
At first glance, Pappy's Restaurant looks more like a saloon than an eatery.
The barroom atmosphere, enhanced by a jukebox and pinball machine, dominates the room.
But behind the bar, tucked away in a small kitchen, owner Greg Sarkissian can be found whipping up specialities of the house--pizza and sandwiches--the way his customers like them.
It is this combination, along with his jokes, that attracts people to his place, he said.
The restaurant, one of only two on Plaza Drive, has been around for nearly 20 years, but Sarkissian and his brother, George, almost didn't open it.
Greg and George received mechanical and civil engineering degrees, respectively, from San Jose State University and thought about pursuing professional careers. They chose not to do so after they realized they would rather run a business and "have independence," Greg Sarkissian said.
They learned about the restaurant business when they bused tables, cooked and served food while in college.
They originally leased the restaurant space in 1977 and, with an investment of more than $70,000, remodeled it. It had been a laundry and print shop. They installed the bar later.
The brothers had hopes of opening a chain of restaurant-bars, but that scenario never materialized, Sarkissian said.
He said he is content owning a neighborhood business that offered "a quiet and relaxing atmosphere."
He has stamped his personality on it.
More than 25 model airplanes--most made by Sarkissian--hang from a low ceiling. "We have children who come in here for meals, but those models aren't for them. They are for me," Sarkissian quipped. "I am the biggest kid."
Steve Evans, a San Jose resident, has patronized the business for 15 years. He comes partly because he likes Sarkissian's jokes.
Sarkissian said he will joke about politics, current events and television game shows. "I know how to laugh," he said. "Customers appreciate that."
His business can accommodate up to 70 patrons.
Sandwiches cost $4.50. They include ham, Polish sausage, chicken, turkey and meatball. A steak sandwich costs $6.25.
Pizzas range from $7.65 for a small pizza with one topping to $18.85 for a large pizza with six toppings.
Pappy's Pizza and Bar, 115 Plaza Dr., open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Closed Saturday and Sunday. For more information and delivery, call 744-1700.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, February 19, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.