Gianino Family Celebrates 20 Years at Frankie G's

When St. Louisans think of Italian food, the Gianino family is at the top of the list. Nearly everyone in South County is familiar Frankie G’s Grill & Bar, located at 4565 Chestnut Park Plaza, off Telegraph Road in Oakville. Their successful history is preceded with the Gianino’s carry-out restaurants that have sprinkled the St. Louis restaurant landscape for two generations.

Since 1971, Bill Gianino is the man who drives the Italian food force. First, it was Gianino’s Pizza Den. Then onto Bill Gianino’s, which neighbors Frankie G’s in South County. Bill Gianino has transferred the family business on down the line. The trio of Joey B’s locations on The Hill, the Landing and now in Concord Plaza, are run by his son, Tony. Another son, Billy, heads up Arrow Hawk Catering. With all of this, has cultivated a St. Louis institution.

But like many area mainstays, family roots run deep. Many long-time St. Louisans may recall his father, Frank Gianino, who was the proprietor of Valencia’s on Delmar. Frank Gianino also went on to establish other area pizza carry out shops where Bill Gianino first began cutting his restaurant chops.

“You hear those words from your dad, ‘The bus boy didn’t show up tonight... the dishwasher didn’t show up tonight... the janitor didn’t show up tonight,’” Bill said.

Dutifully, he went to work, filling in where work needed to be done.

But even a man who has a 36-year established history as a St. Louis landmark, there are still some secrets about the business owner. 

“My mother passed away and my father was left with three children to raise and a restaurant to run,” Gianino said.

He was 12 years old at the time. He and his two sisters went to New York to live with an aunt. He remained there for the next six or seven years.

When asked, he is able to answer the quintessential St. Louis question, graduating from Southwest High School, in south St. Louis.

“But that was back when they had mid-term graduation,” Gianino said. He returned to St. Louis from New York with just two months left before graduation.

The restaurant business would have to wait for Uncle Sam.

“After that, I went into the Army,” he said and then went to work for his dad and uncles in the carry-out pizza business.

“Then I thought, ‘I can do this and keep all the money.’ So I did,” he said.

Fast forward to present day, and Gianino, now 60 years old, is proud of his accomplishments.  

“I think my father would be proud, too,” he said.

Starting Wednesday, Frankie G’s will be celebrating 20 years in business. And in true entrepreneurial fashion, he is careful not to take all of the credit.   

“On a whole, we are blessed with good help,” he said.

Sue Bennett, a 15-year veteran server at Frankie G’s would agree.

“I love how (all the employees) have been here for a long time," she said. "We all have our regular (customers) and know what they want before they even order it. I think we are all a good team. We work well together.”

And just like generations of Gianino’s have paved the restaurant way in South County, customers have reciprocated.

“We have an extremely loyal customer base. We’re seeing next generation customers who came in when they were teenagers and are now coming with their kids,” Gianino said. 

He’s also learned a few things along the way. Time has mellowed him some.

“The older you get, some people say, your patience wears thin,” he said. “But it was the opposite for me. I didn’t have a lot of patience in my younger days. I did a lot of yelling and screaming.”

He readily admits his lessons learned.

“You’re always gonna get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar,” he said.

Perhaps this attitude is what has helped him shape the man South County residents see today. His business motto is to have good food at fair prices and to give good service.

But his real success is spun from that staple commonly known as the Golden Rule.

“If you treat your customers as you would treat yourself, you’re probably going to be okay,” Gianino said.

Of his personal success, Gianino would agree that he has accomplished something remarkable.

“I had an old guy one time tell me, ‘If you can make it in St. Louis in this business, you can make it anywhere,’” he said. “We have a lot of good restaurants—a lot of good Italian restaurants in St. Louis, so you gotta stay on your game,” he said.

And with a trusted staff on hand and sons at the ready, Gianino is finding time to relax.

These days, many people may be shocked to learn that on his off days, Gianino can be found on his farm.

Although restaurants are in his blood, he admits that having a farm is something he has always wanted.

So a couple of years ago, he seized an opportunity to purchase 40 acres in Cuba, MO. There, he tends to a small herd of Angus cattle and grows a garden filled with tomatoes, potatoes, radishes, cucumbers and lettuce.

“I just kind of piddle,” he said. “I love to actually grow the garden... see the food come to life. We just had three calves this week.”

Gianino lights up when revealing he was on hand to witness the birth of one of them.

“Calves come when they’re ready, you know.”

For now, there is no real plan for the future of the farm or for his lively line of businesses.

“I think it’s always nice to thank your customers. You know, we’ve been here 36 years and without them, we would not be here 36 seconds,” Gianino said. “Oakville has treated me and my family very well and I hope that we have treated families the same way. Thank you... And how about 36 more?”