PROFILES OF EXCELLENCE
H
arry Paskalidis knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a success in the challenging restaurant business. Great food with quality ingredients along with dedicated staff and top-notch customer service are critical. So too are word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers and a location that is welcoming, comfortable and central. Little Billy’s Steakhouse on Hastings Street has all that. But what has really allowed the North Burnaby restaurant to thrive through four decades is the magic that the Paskalidis family themselves bring to the table: passion for the business and a determination to carry on even when faced with setbacks. In 1975, Paskalidis made his dream come true when he opened the first Little Billy’s Restaurant on Nanaimo Street with the help of his three brothers Paul, Mike, and Billy†, naming the restaurant after his then threeyear-old son. From the start, Billy’s has been a family affair: each morning, a young woman named Irma would drop by the restaurant with coffee and doughnuts for the Paskalidis boys. Before long she was a key employee. Today, she is Harry’s wife of 38 years. Soon after, their two sons, Brian† and Kenny, were going door-to-door with Little Billy’s flyers and menus stirring up business. Eventually, several locations were opened around the Lower Mainland – three run by Paskalidis himself and another seven as franchises. In 2007, Paskalidis’ restaurant – known by then as Little Billy’s Hideaway and based in Burnaby – suffered a major fire, destroying the building, equipment and everything inside.
LITTLE BILLY’S STEAKHOUSE Missing the restaurant business, Paskilidis, his wife Irma, and son Billy set out to rebuild in a new location with a new menu. And the results speak for themselves: the business is busier than ever as they mark 40 years in operation. “It keeps getting better and better,” he said. “Every day, customers come up to me and say thank you, it was excellent, we’ll be back and we’ll tell our friends. What more could you ask for?” Paskalidis says the simple recipe of good food, good service and a family atmosphere is as important today as it was when he was starting out. “You treat the customers right, and you cook everything with care,” he said. “That’s what we do. We buy the best ingredients and we serve it right.” His customers range from long-time fans who have been visiting for years to newcomers checking out what the restaurant has to offer for the first time. “Sometimes you see the same people week after week, for 10 years, 20 years. That’s wonderful,” he said. “But we have brand new customers all the time who have heard about us from friends or family.” The restaurant’s menu includes a diversity of choices from steak, seafood and plenty of Greek favourites, along with soups, pizza, salad and more. “Everybody has their favourite meal – a lot of our customers order the same thing every time they come, they love it.” The restaurant also offers catering and can accommodate larger groups for special events such as birthdays or holiday gatherings. When you’ve been around over forty years, the word “classic” comes to mind. And Paskalidis says that is what you’ll get at Little Billy’s: a classic dining out experience you won’t soon forget.
“You treat the customers right, and you cook everything with care. That’s what we do.”
6785 Hasting Street, Burnaby, BC 604-294-4460 I www.littlebillys.com
PHOTO: Left: Sofia Paskalidis, Irma Paskalidis, Harry Paskalidis, baby Andreas Karadimas, and Ourania Karadimas of Little Billy’s Steakhouse