Nickie Troy started out working in her dad’s restaurant during the Great Depression on Beacon Street and for the next several decades worked in various iconic San Pedro restaurants, such as Fireside, Cigo’s and Ante’s. She tells the story of working in them all.
February 10, 2023
Stories of Los Angeles Harbor Area – For Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
SOLAHA Vol. III, No. 32 Nicoletta “Nickie” (Andritsis) Troy
Nickie’s story about how she began her career as a waitress and all the restaurants she worked in is a great walk down a San Pedro memory lane of menus!
Lifetime San Pedran Nickie, is 99 years old, one of the “greatest generation”, and “sharp as a tack.”
The daughter of immigrant Greek Tom Andritsis who opened a bakery, then the City Hall Café where she enjoyed working from age 12, and had an especially loving relationship with her father, that lead to a life time occupation as a waitress in some of San Pedro’s favorite restaurants.
Upon graduating from San Pedro High School Nickie was chosen to work for the first child care organization in Southern California district after WWII. She secured the job because she had just turned 18, and truly enjoyed the work.
She married at 21 and continued working, then left she when she was expecting a baby quitting rather than taking a leave of absence so she was not able to return to that job (unfortunately she lost the child). With her experience working for her Dad she was able to get a waitress job at the Pirates Den, then continued on to other popular restaurants including the Fireside (located behind Nick Orb’s drive-in, now where Jack in Box is situated at 6th & Gaffey Streets, Cigo’s (Croatian) until it closed, the Hacienda Hotel, Harbor Lights and finally at Ante’s where she was so appreciated (remembering her customers drink and dining preferences) for about 30 years, until she retired.
Special note: Nickie’s father was brother of “Katina”, the first Mrs. Nicholas Papadakis, and Nickie was first cousin of Tom Papadakis, father of famed restaurateur and “Singing Linebacker” John Papadakis (a participant in SOLAHA, Vol. IV that will debut at 20th annual LA Harbor International Film Festival closing day DocSunday March 5)