Anthony Athanas
Encyclopedia
Anthony Athanas was a multi-millionaire Albanian-American restaurateur and philanthropist. His restaurants include Anthony's Pier 4, one of the most successful in the USA. In 1976 the National Restaurant Association
named him Restaurateur of the Year.
, southern Albania
, then part of the Ottoman Empire
, on July 28, 1911, he and his mother Evangeline traveled on a donkey to a port and emigrated to Bedford
, New York
in 1915–16, where his father, who was a mason, and siblings had settled. At the age of thirteen Athanas left school and worked in several restaurants until 1938, when he bought his first restaurant: Anthony's Hawthorne Café in Lynn, Massachusetts
, which by the early 1950s had become the highest-grossing restaurant in Massachusetts, with profits of more than $1 million annually. In 1963, he opened Anthony's Pier 4, which by the early 1980s was grossing about $12 million annually and was the highest-grossing restaurant in the United States. His other restaurants include the Hawthorne by-the-sea Tavern in Swampscott, Massachusetts
, and Anthony's Cummaquid Inn in Yarmouth Port
.
Athanas had also served as president of Massachusetts's Restaurant Association, a member of the board of the National Restaurant Association
, while in 1976 he was named Restaurateur of the Year. In 1999 during the Kosovo War
he became a member of the congressional delegation of the United States, Albania, Kosovo
, and Macedonia
. Although Athanas had no formal education he was a popular lecturer at Harvard Business School
, the University of New Hampshire
and Cornell University
, and was awarded the Horatio Alger Award by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans
in 1978. He died at his Swampscott
home on May 20, 2005 of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 93. The funeral was held at St. George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral
in South Boston.
National Restaurant Association
thumb|National Restaurant Association logoThe National Restaurant Association is a restaurant industry business association in the United States, representing more than 380,000 restaurant locations. It also operates the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation...
named him Restaurateur of the Year.
Life
Born in KorçëKorçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
, southern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, then part of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, on July 28, 1911, he and his mother Evangeline traveled on a donkey to a port and emigrated to Bedford
Bedford (town), New York
Bedford is a town in Westchester County, New York, USA. The population was 17,335 at the 2010 census.The Town of Bedford is located in the northeastern part of Westchester County, and contains the three hamlets of Bedford Hills, Bedford Village, and Katonah...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1915–16, where his father, who was a mason, and siblings had settled. At the age of thirteen Athanas left school and worked in several restaurants until 1938, when he bought his first restaurant: Anthony's Hawthorne Café in Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:...
, which by the early 1950s had become the highest-grossing restaurant in Massachusetts, with profits of more than $1 million annually. In 1963, he opened Anthony's Pier 4, which by the early 1980s was grossing about $12 million annually and was the highest-grossing restaurant in the United States. His other restaurants include the Hawthorne by-the-sea Tavern in Swampscott, Massachusetts
Swampscott, Massachusetts
Swampscott is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States located 15 miles up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population is 13,787...
, and Anthony's Cummaquid Inn in Yarmouth Port
Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts
Yarmouth Port is a census-designated place in the town of Yarmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,395 at the 2000 census...
.
Athanas had also served as president of Massachusetts's Restaurant Association, a member of the board of the National Restaurant Association
National Restaurant Association
thumb|National Restaurant Association logoThe National Restaurant Association is a restaurant industry business association in the United States, representing more than 380,000 restaurant locations. It also operates the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation...
, while in 1976 he was named Restaurateur of the Year. In 1999 during the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
he became a member of the congressional delegation of the United States, Albania, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, and Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. Although Athanas had no formal education he was a popular lecturer at Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
and Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, and was awarded the Horatio Alger Award by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans
Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans
The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is a nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, that was founded in 1947 to honor the achievements of outstanding Americans who have succeeded in spite of adversity and to emphasize the importance of higher education...
in 1978. He died at his Swampscott
Swampscott, Massachusetts
Swampscott is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States located 15 miles up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population is 13,787...
home on May 20, 2005 of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 93. The funeral was held at St. George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral
Cathedral of St. George Historic District
Cathedral of St. George Historic District is a historic district located at 517-523-525 East Broadway in South Boston, Massachusetts.The Cathedral of St. George is currently home to an Albanian Orthodox congregation. The building was designed in 1868 by Samuel J. F...
in South Boston.