Myths and Mortals

Chapter 2Out of the ShadowsThe journey of the successor to lead apart from the myth

“With your stupid ideas, six months after I die you're going to blow up this business.”

That is how Nick Perrino, who built Home Run Inn from a small tavern to a 600-seat restaurant, motivated his son, Joe, as he attempted to step out of the shadow of his father's success.

Nick feared the changes his son pushed for: from smaller changes like implementing a shirt and tie dress code for employees, or introducing booth space to create more seating; to the weightier ones, such as partnering with other companies to grow the company, or automating a manufacturing plant to mass produce its iconic frozen pizza.

“My own father didn't think I would succeed,” says Joe Perrino, CEO of Home Run Inn.

Founded by Nick's in-laws, Italian immigrants Mary and Vincent Grittani, Home Run Inn began as a small southside Chicago tavern that dished up a little piece of Italy—fresh, hot, and free pizza—to its bar patrons. The tavern, whose name, as legend has it, was born after a game-winning home run shattered the tavern's front window, was symbolic of the convergence of the Old World and New. While running the tavern was a swing at the American dream, the family guarded its Italian heritage. Three generations of the Grittani-Perrino family lived behind the restaurant.

“We would have lunch in the kitchen of the restaurant,” says Joe, “and Easter dinner in the restaurant dining room.” During the early years, Home Run ...