Family Works: Tony’s Pizza Celebrates 56 Years of Local Ownership

In the mid-1960’s, there existed a small franchise based in Pensacola, Fla. with a handful of locations along the Gulf Coast. Today you know it as Tony’s Pizza Inc. on E. Prien Lake Road. Tony’s Pizza has been independently owned since 1968 when Charles Dickson bought the Lake Charles location.

Dickson was born in Urbana, Ohio, to immigrant parents from Turkey and Greece. He began his career shining shoes in his father’s laundry business before joining the Navy and spending a couple years based in San Diego.

Dickson entered the restaurant business while living in Houston, Texas, working alongside his great-uncle in several highly regarded clubs and restaurants. In 1957, Harry Chavanne (founder of Lakeside Bank) met Dickson in Houston and offered to let him run Charcoal Galley Restaurant at Grayson Lanes in Lake Charles. Dickson worked at Charcoal Galley for 10 years, growing his reputation in the community.

In the late ‘60s, Dickson was approached by the Tony’s franchise to save the suffering location in Lake Charles. He restructured the staff and changed the menu, incorporating family recipes and knowledge he gained while working with his uncle. Dickson’s wife, Ann, worked alongside him with other early employees to get the business on track.
Soon, Dicksons’ Tony’s Pizza began to succeed while the original franchise declared bankruptcy and ceased operations. Dickson retained the rights to his location and bought out the franchise. By this time the Lake Charles location bore no resemblance to the original franchise, except for the building with its signature checkered roof. Tony’s Pizza continues to operate out of this original building and has since trademarked various versions of its iconic “Tony Man” logo.

Tony’s Pizza remains under the care of the Dickson family. Brothers Adonis, Sterling, and Dimitrios followed in their father’s footsteps by making careers at Tony’s. Each have been paramount to the success of the business. Sterling and Dimitri can still be spotted regularly at the restaurant during the day, and Adonis works during the evening hours. They all add a unique flavor of humor and charm.

Tony’s Pizza has long-term employees that have contributed several decades of service, and though they do not share the same last name, they are considered family. And under the guidance of the Dickson family, newer employees are carrying forward the same standard of excellence that makes Tony’s a local favorite. Christopher, Charles’ grandson, joined the restaurant in 2015 to help navigate the evolving business landscape. Chris’ focus is to preserve what makes Tony’s Pizza unique and special to the community.

When asked what the best part about working at Tony’s Pizza is, Chris replies, “Our customers! They are extremely important to us and the reason why we continue to do what we do. Over the decades, we have had the opportunity to build a loyal following. It is rewarding to have such a large family of customers. Many of these families started their stories with first dates and proposals at the restaurant and now we see their families grow as they bring in the next generation of customers.”

In August, Tony’s Pizza celebrated their 56th year serving the Lake Charles community. Chris emphasizes Tony’s commitment to quality and resiliency. “We strive to offer a consistent product at a strong value, quickly. We have options for the entire family and have enough variety to satisfy an entire group. During the last several years, Tony’s has experienced its share of challenges, including suppliers and longtime vendors going out of business; however, the restaurant has not stopped trying to meet their customers’ expectations. The Tony’s customer does not like change, and we do our best to maintain the original recipes, quality, speed, and value that our customers are accustomed to. We appreciate our customer support and take pride in knowing that we are a little bit of what makes Lake Charles unique.”

As the Dickson family looks to the future, they are filled with pride for what Tony’s Pizza Inc. has achieved and all that it represents. The restaurant is not just a business; it is a living testament to the power of tradition, community, and family.