Bitsas family happily gives back while growing pizza, restaurant businesses
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Vassilious Bitsas, left, and his dad Jim hold a pizza ready for the oven at Cusimano’s. The family, who also owns Country Club Restaurant in Medina and pizzerias in Lockport and Brockport, believe in supporting their community. They regularly donate pizzas to Little League teams and gift cards for benefits and charitable organizations.
MEDINA – If there is one thing the Bitsas family believes, it is in feeding the hand that feeds them.
The Bitsas’ story began in 1980 when Bill Bitsas and his family immigrated from Greece to Toronto, and then to Rochester. The trip from Toronto, through Orleans County, would set the stage for the success that was to come.
Bill worked at a restaurant in Rochester, owned by his maternal grandparents, but when he started looking for an opportunity to expand, he remembered his drive through Medina.
In 1972, with his wife Frances, he opened the Country Club Restaurant on Main Street. Twenty-two years ago, his son Jim and his wife Mindy took it over.
“Our son Michael loves pizza, and we started thinking about opening a pizzeria here,” Mindy said.
The building on Maple Ridge Road, at the corner of West Avenue Extension, was available, and Jim and Mark Massaro bought it. They opened Cusimano’s Pizzeria in 2017, the year son Vassilious graduated from Medina High School.
The pizzeria was named after Massaro’s late mother, Jim said.
When Covid hit in the spring 2020, Cusimano’s donated food regularly to workers at Medina Memorial Hospital, firefighters and policemen.
“We wanted to support the first responders and emergency personnel who had to be on the job every day,” Mindy said. “We continue to donate to them.”
They provide free pizzas to Little League teams after games and to other sporting events. They support benefits and fundraisers with gift cards. This summer Vassilious wants to do something for Little League softball and baseball. They will rotate teams to invite in for free pizza after each game.
The Bitsas family also owns Cusimano’s pizzeria in Lockport and Brockport, as well as the Olive Leaf in Lockport. In Brockport, they support a reading program at the school, where students who complete their reading assignments can come in get free pizza.
In addition to Vassilious, 24, Jim and Mindy have a son Michael, 21, and daughter Elaina, 17, all of whom come in and work in the restaurants.
Bill, who is retired, spends six months in Medina and six months in his home country of Greece.
“We love taking care of our customers and showing the community we appreciate all the customers we’ve had over the years,” Jim said. “Many of them have become good friends.”
Jim said they want their restaurants to feel like home, and for customers to feel comfortable.
The Country Club, at 535 Main St., is a full service restaurant, open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Cusimano’s sells, pizza, wings, salads, subs, wraps and newly-introduced beef-on-weck. Dessert options include cannoli, ice cream, cheesecake and brownies. Specials are made daily. They are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
