New Pizzeria Opens in North Adams

By Justin SaldoiBerkshires Intern
05:57PM / Monday, August 11, 2008Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS — A couple is hoping to duplicate their South County success with the opening of Christo's Famous Pizza today at 20 Holden St.

The proprietors of the eatery, Christo, 64, and Athina, 65, Grigoropoulos of Lenox, have more than 40 years experience in the pizza business, with several restaurants in South Berkshire, including Athena's Pizza in Lenox.

Pizza is a competitive industry in this area, with four other pizzerias and another soon to be opened within walking distance of the newest establishment, but the Grigoropouloses are not worried.

"We have been doing this successfully in the Berkshires for a long time," said Christo Grigoropoulos. "What people in the area want is good food at a good price and that's what we have always offered."

"We are a more traditional establishment that offers more than just pizza," he continued.

Christo's is also Greek restaurant that serves everything from calzones and grinders to more traditional fare like pasta and salad. It also offers gourmet pizza with toppings such as kalamata olives, pesto, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and feta and ricotta cheese. In addition to the usual assortment of salads, sandwiches and wraps, the eatery offers dinners including New York sirloin strip, prime rib and house specialities.

Christo and Athina Grigoropoulos have opened a pizza and Greek restaurant on Holden Street.

Formerly the North Adams Pizza Co., the Grigoropouloses purchased the business three months ago from owner Christopher Tremblay and have been doing renovations and redecorating. The site had also been the home of Hickory Bill's Barbecue.

"You got to go by the books and take no shortcuts to succeed," said Grigoropoulos.

The restaurant is fully staffed; the Grigoropouloses searched through more than 200 resumes for suitable employees. It offers eat-in and takeout service.

"I like when kids are looking for work," Grigoropoulos. "It says good things about an area when young people are motivated."

He said the staff has trained for the last three weeks to ensure they will be ready for the workload and are now ready to serve the public.

The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 to 10, Friday and Saturday from 10:30 to midnight and Sunday from 10:30 to 10. For more information or to place an order, call 413-662-3500.

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Your Comments

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I hate to bash on a new restaraunt in town, but the food was terrible, my sausage was raw, and was fortunate they only put two little pieces on my calzone, they didn't give me my sauce for the calzone. I can see giving a break being new an all, but they've been in business 40 years. As for "good food at a good price" it was way over priced. I'm sorry but why bother people you just can't even come close to competing with Village Pizza
from: UNHAPPY	on: 08-12-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (4)

"you hate to bash" but you did. I love Village too, I'm not sure why sometimes because I have been disappointed many many times but I keep coming back for more. I am so interested in trying this new place! YUMMY REAL GREEK...I hope that you voiced your opinion there instead of hiding behind a comment here on the site. Good luck to you all at Cristo's, there is a bit of a different taste on this side of the Berkshires! VERY INTERESTED!
from: interested!	on: 08-12-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

I'm willing to give it a try. It can't be worse than Dominos was and I'm getting tired of Village. I'd like to see their menu on-line to compare prices and entrees though. This city needs more affordable, family-friendly restaurants!
from: me	on: 08-12-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

The pizza gave me the s----. And the owner smells like month old cheese.
from: PooPoo	on: 11-16-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (3)

-Not just another Pizza place. A real find! Should we keep this a secret all unto ourselves? Let us tell others. -Good food. Reasonably priced. -Made to feel as though I were being invited into one's own home for lunch. -Roomy and comfortable surroundings. Makes a person feel at ease while eating. You can't do that at Subway! -Charming people who work at the restaraunt. -I WILL be going back soon!!!
from: Jon	on: 12-03-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

the meatballs taste like s---, what the hell is in them? i threw them away, the spaghetti sux but the meat balls make me gag gross,
from: very unhappy	on: 12-17-2008 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (2)

I heard very good things about this place, but I wanted to see for myself. I loved the pizza that i had and the price was great. After talking to the lady who made my pizza, I had found out that she is now running the place and has changed a lot from, what was there originally. I'd say to everyone give this place a go, you'll enjoy it.
from: Happy customer	on: 06-13-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

My husband and I make the trip from VT to eat at Christo's all the time. Their chicken parm pizza is our favorite. It's refreshing to find such nice people who you can tell truly care about their business and their customers. Their food is not coated in grease like other pizza places around here. We have had nothing but positive experiences. Good luck, I hope to see this restaurant around 40+ years from now!
from: VT RESIDENT	on: 10-07-2009 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

Delicious!!!
from: Joe	on: 10-13-2009 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

Their chicken Caesar salad is delicious!
from: Lunch lover	on: 08-30-2010 12:08PM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

I have to say, I used to work with this family years ago at another of their locations and they truly care about quality and giving their customers the best. Everything was made from scratch. Fresh and Delicious!
from: Wonderful	on: 11-08-2010 09:48AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

North Adams Becomes a Purple Heart Community

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
05:16AM / Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Veterans Service Officer Kurtis Durocher, a Purple Heart recipient, tells his own story of how he was wounded in Iraq.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — City leaders last week held a ceremony marking the city as a Purple Heart Community to honor local military service members wounded or killed in combat.

"This designation is much more than a sign that will stand at the entrances to our city," said Kurtis Durocher, Northern Berkshire veterans service officer at City Hall on Friday. "It is a lasting commitment and a promise to this community. We'll never forget the sacrifices made by those who are wounded or killed while serving our nation. It is a public declaration of the courage and sacrifices of combat wounded. Veterans will always have a place of honor here in North Adams."

As a Purple Heart Community, North Adams will place signs throughout the city acknowledging the designation. The city will also hold a ceremony every Aug. 7 on National Purple Heart Day.

During the inaugural ceremony, Durocher said he was asked by the Military Order of the Purple Heart to find a keynote speaker for the event, preferably a Purple Heart recipient. But he was unable to find someone willing to speak. With the date approaching, he decided to tell his own story.

"I don't like standing up and telling my own personal story ... But I realized, in my position as a VSO, I get so many ... children of veterans who will say, 'I didn't know anything about my father until after he passed because he just didn't talk about it,'" Durocher said. "... I have been that way until I've gotten into this position, and so, now, I try to tell my story as much as I can when it is brought to me."

Durocher served in the Army for 20 years and retired as a master sergeant. On Friday, he recalled a time early in his career while serving in the 82nd Airborne Division deploying to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. On Sept. 12, 2003, his squad was conducting a patrol on Route Irish in Baghdad. He was serving as a gunner on an LMTV when it was struck by a 155-millimeter artillery shell. He said the explosive had been hidden behind a guardrail and detonated using nothing more than a washing machine timer.

"In an instant, everything changed. The blast knocked me unconscious. When I regained consciousness, I instinctively was removing my helmet," he said. "Almost immediately my training took over. We had been taught repeatedly that attacks like this were often followed by a secondary attack or an ambush. I quickly put my helmet back on and began searching for my machine gun."

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