Page 10 - Sanger Herald 2-28-19 E-edition

Lifestyles
SANGER HERALD • 2B • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
Entrepreneur opens pizza franchise in Sanger
Sanger
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
Greg DeGrandis started working part time making pizzas and answering phones while still in high school.
He had no idea at that time what exactly he wanted to do with his life. But he began to learn about business, customer service and a little about the potential opportunities for those who seize entrepreneurial initiative.
His mentor, Dennis Schwesinger, a Los Angeles- based pizza franchisee for about 33 years, provided some of that inspiration. And when the opportunity came to move from Southern California to Turlock and manage his own pizza shop, DeGrandis took it. That was in 2011.
He’s never looked back.
On Dec. 20, DeGrandis opened his eighth Domino’s franchise at 257 Academy Ave. in Sanger. He sat down in his store just before the Super Bowl to talk about why he decided to open another location. He said he liked that Sanger was a smaller community.
“We saw value (in Sanger) and a need and an opportunity to provide value and service,” he said. “Our average delivery time is under 25 minutes. Our team is averaging 22 to 23 minutes. They’ve done a fantastic job.
“The community has treated us very well. Feedback has been very positive.”
The location, which also provides for a sit-down experience, was gearing
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Greg DeGrandis, left, said he saw opportunity in Sanger. Alex Soto, restaurant manager, said Sanger's a great community. Elizabeth Tetuan, right, makes hand- tossed pizza crusts.
up for the big game that weekend. Employee Elizabeth Tetuan made hand-tossed pizza crusts. The store has three brand- new ovens with the capacity to cook 350 pizzas per hour, although DeGrandis said he didn’t expect the store to reach that. At least this year.
“It’s going to be a good game,” he said at the time, adding “all our dough is fresh.”
Running the show for DeGrandis in Sanger is manager Alex Soto. The location employs about 25 people.
Soto said he’s new to Sanger but already impressed. “Great place,” he said. “Great community. They definitely love our pizza here.”
And Soto said of the big game, “Everything’s going to be ready.”
Of course, Domino’s is the new kid on the block as Sanger already has a couple of Me-n-Ed’s Pizzarias and a Mountain Mike’s. Domino’s reportedly had a previous location in town that closed some time ago.
DeGrandis said his philosophy on running a successful business boils down to service, hospitality, image, product and store cleanliness. He said if a franchise can execute on every one of those goals, it has a good chance of succeeding.
DeGrandis still lives in Turlock. He’s raised a family there. But he still travels regularly to his Domino’s restaurants.
Domino’s, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, was expected to report its 31st consecutive quarter of sales growth in the United States and 100th straight in outside markets, said Demitrios Kalogeropoulos of the Motley Fool in a Feb. 15 story. “Domino’s has shown that it maintains serious competitive advantages in this booming niche,” Kalogeropoulos wrote.
Domino’s growth of 6.3 percent in the fiscal third quarter beat competitors and “nearly all peers in the wider industry, including McDonald’s and Starbucks, through the year,” he said. The chain has about 15,000
stores and is seeking to vastly expand that, the reporter said.
DeGrandis said his company also likes to expand from within, providing opportunities to team members like he was. He said Schwesinger was the guy who inspired him. “We still stay in touch,” he said.
“My biggest satisfaction is providing opportunity for people to make a career out of this — become a franchise owner,” DeGrandis said. “For me, it’s guidance and leadership, but I still like to make pizza. It’s absolutely the American Dream, to run a business.”
Of course, running a business isn’t easy. “It takes hard work and dedication,” DeGrandis said. Like driving all the way down from Turlock just to meet with a reporter in Sanger. But he said with the right drive people can reach their goals.
DeGrandis explained how his store operates — how it has a check-in kiosk and how customers can see the status of their pizzas on a monitor. He explained the cell phone app that makes ordering simple and how Domino’s is a tech company that serves pizza.
I ordered a hearty three meat pizza.
The reporter can be contacted by email at nemethfeatures@gmail.com or by phone at the Herald at (559) 875-2511.
Sanger News & Community Calendar
To get an item into the calendar, email details to nemethfeatures@gmail.com or call Mike or Sharon at 559-875-2511.
The Sanger Library has its annual book sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 1, 2 and 4. The library is at 1812 Seventh St. Details, Margaret 559-875-6088.
The Sanger Blossom Trail Run launches at 7 a.m. March 2 in downtown Sanger. Registration is open. Ken Takeuchi of Pro Race Group is again race director. There is a 10k run, a 10k walk, a 2 mile run and walk and various kids races. Register online or pick up a packet at city hall. Details, recinfo@ci.sanger.ca.us or 559-876-6300, ext. 1430. A car show follows, and there’s also a Lego car show.
AMVETS is placing its chili dogs on hiatus until the group gets settled at the Sanger Eagles hall. The fish fry will return from 5 to 8 p.m. March 8, 15, 22 and 29 and April 5 and 12 at the Eagles hall, 225 J St. The membership thanks all who showed up over the past months. Details, George 559-286-5667.
SAM Academy Calpulli of Caring Parents Workshop is planned from 9 a.m. to noon March 2 at 750 N St. The workshop series is one of six for parents interested in
learning how to support their children at home, school and in life. Details, jvaladez@cvsmacademy.org or 559- 399-3090.
Eckankar, which defines itself as “the path to spiritual freedom,” provides a workshop about what inner experiences really mean and techniques about exploring past lives from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 9 at the Sanger Library, 1812 Seventh St. Details, 877-504-6364.
Sanger Chamber Business After Hours Mixer schedule. Events begin at 5:30 p.m. March 19 at Valley Oak Winery, 11809 E Belmont Ave.; April 16 at Sanger Library, 1812 Seventh St. Details, 559-875-4575.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Community Breakfast is from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. March 2 at the American Legion Hall, 1502 O St. Cost is $6. Cub Scout Pack 322 and Boy Scout Pack 322 will assist. The VFW breakfast is usually the first Saturday of the month.
St. Mary’s Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner is planned from noon to 5 p.m. March 17 at the main church at North and Bethel avenues. Cost is $18. Dinner includes spaghetti, chicken, salad, peas, rolls, beverage and dessert. Details, 559-876-3936.
HOPE Sanger has a pancake fundraiser from 8 to 10 a.m. March 23 at 502 L St. in Sanger. Cost is $8. Details, 559-875-7677.
Girls softball, a program by Sanger’s Recreation
PASTOR’S CORNER
Division, starts March 16 for a six-week season. It’s open to girls 5 to 14 years old. The program is looking for volunteer coaches. Registration is $55 but goes up after Feb. 8. Details, recinfo@ci.sanger.ca.us or 559-876-6300, ext. 1430.
Sanger Academy Charter’s drama department stages the production of “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” at 5 p.m. April 4 and 5 at 2207 Ninth Ave. The first show includes dinner. Tickets for the dinner show are $20 and can be pre- purchased starting March 23 at the school office. Tickets for the second show don’t have to be repurchased and are $3 per person. Details, 559-524-6840.
The Sanger Community Task Force meets at 8:30 a.m. March 5 at the United Health Centers, 1570 Seventh Ave. Details, 559-250-6433.
The Sanger Woman’s Club monthly luncheon meetings include Helping Students with Mary Castro, wife of Fresno State president at noon March 5. The club is at 1602 Seventh St. Details, Liz Hudson 559-779-1569.
The Sanger branch of the Fresno County Public Library has has multiple programs. The Builder’s Club is 3:30 p.m. the first and second Thursdays of the month for Lego enthusiasts. Inspired Yarns meet from 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays. A knitting, crochet and other needle work circle. All are invited. Beginners to advanced. Sit & Be Fit classes meet from 11 a.m. to noon Mondays.
Love Defined — Part 3
The character of love. Paul defines for us what agape means. He does it in terms of what it is and what it is not. There are eight things love does, and eight things love does not do.
We read this in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 — “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self- seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never
fails.”
Last week, we discovered
the eight things love is. Paul now strings eight negatives together. Often, we learn by contrast. We see what love is by carving away what it is not. When we find ourselves acting in these ways, we know we are not acting in love.
Love does not envy. It comes from the word “to boil.” It’s kind of the bolstered idea of “what’s in it for me,” in the sense of “it’s all about me.” When we become so self-focused that anything anyone else has makes our blood boil, it’s the opposite of wanting to benefit another. Envy is when we only want to benefit ourselves at the
expense of others. Envy means I want what you have. Jealousy is not only do I want what you have, I do not want you to have it either.
Love is
not boasting. Boasting is really a corollary of envy. “If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Even if you don’t have it, pretend like you do.” The Greek word has the connotation of “play the braggart.”
Often, boasting is playing a part — something we are not but want to be or think we are.
Love is not proud. This is the same word Paul uses in chapter 8 — “knowledge
puffs up.” It means to inflate — like abagofhotair — no substance but a lot of fluff. It’s increasing your sense of self- importance well beyond your hat size.
Love is not rude. The word here is “unshapely.” You could say “not pretty to look at.” Do people have a hard time being around you because you do things that are unpredictable or embarrassing or unbecoming? That’s rudeness.
Love is not self seeking. This could be rendered “worship yourself.”
Love is not easily
angered. It means to “exasperate.” The Greek word can translate “to sharpen alongside.” This is really the opposite of patience.
Love keeps no record of wrongs. The suggestion from the original here is thinking poorly of someone else or really pondering and dwelling on someone else as evil. The old story goes that Santa Claus keeps a list of who’s naughty and who’s nice. Sometimes, we keep those lists, too. How quick are you to forgive?
Love does not delight in evil. It means to be happy when an injustice or wrong occurs. In a sense this is the ultimate form of “anti- love.” We want, we get,
we hurt others to get it and we’re happy that we stomped over them to get what we really deserve in the first place.
The thing that all these negatives have in common is that they all focus on us — what we want, who we are, how bad everyone is in comparison to us, what bad things people are always trying to do me — me, me, me! This is the opposite of love.
Pastor Sam Estes is city advance director and facilitates the Sanger Community Task Force that meets the first and third Tuesdays every month. He can be reached at pastorsam51@gmail.com.
Pastor Sam Estes