Launched In 1975, Apollo's Family Pizzeria Still Soaring

Pete Mavroudis and his father, Angelo, both started out with different careers in mind.

Angelo was first a tailor, making suits for the likes of TV show host Mike Douglas. Then he painted bridges. When the latter work got slow, Angelo would wash dishes at DE Grand Diner in Bristol.

In the mid 70s, he met the owner of PJ's pizza parlor. Soon after he bought that business at 2255 Bristol Pike and renamed it -- appropriately enough given his heritage and location -- Apollo 13.

"I was in college when he took it over," said Pete. "I was going to school to be an architect. I was helping my dad (at the pizzeria) because he couldn't afford anybody but me and my sisters."

"The economy was bad in the late 70s and we had teachers (at Temple University) telling us that when we got out of school we wouldn't be able to find any work."

So, Pete left college after two years and went to work full time at the family business. His dad passed away in 2000, and Pete has kept the business going strong, now into its 37th year.

A lot has changed since Apollo 13, now , opened in 1975.
The menu, which started out with pizza, steak sandwiches and hoagies, includes just about everything now, from gourmet Hawaiian pizza to gyros to seafood. But the bigger change -- and what makes Apollo's longevity impressive -- is the amount of competition.

"When we first started, there was Old Roman, Bella Pizza and Tony's and that was it. Now I think we have 35 pizzerias in a 3-mile radius," said Pete, who used to live above the pizzeria and now lives on Bensalem Boulevard.

In the old days, customers would go shopping and then stop at Apollo's afterward, Pete said. Today, he said, the pizzeria also has to compete with mall food courts.

So how has Apollo's survived?

The owner acknowledges "constant advertising" is now necessary but there's still a simple formula.

"We put out a good product and give people their money's worth," he said, pointing to the $6 half-pound cheese steaks as one example.

Pete -- who employs five full-time and a few part-time employees -- enjoys his job so much he has no intention of ever leaving it.

"Being retired completely, I dont think that's gonna happen," he said.
But the 54-year-old father, who often works 13-hour days, doesn't want the same for his son or daughter.

"I talked them out of it (running Apollo)," he said. "It's a lot of hours and you lose a lot of family time."