Mayfield Heights, Ohio-Mayfield Heights McDonald’s on Mayfield Road will reopen Wednesday morning at 11:00.

A ribbon cut ceremony was held on Tuesday for the grand reopening. The restaurant closed a few months ago due to renovations.

Long-time owner Tony Philio continued to pay each employee while the restaurant was closed.

“My employees helped me. Without them, I wouldn’t have been there so far,” Philiou said.

Philio came from Greece to the United States in 1947. He was 15 years old.

After serving in the Korean War, he got married, got a full-time job at a factory, and bought a house. The house needed work and Philio needed more money. The house was on Mayfield Road, opposite the then newly opened McDonald’s. In 1962, Philio got a second job at a restaurant, working 90 cents an hour.

“The rest is history. I’m here, so nothing matters other than being here,” Philio said.

For the next 60 years, he worked hard, moving from part-time workers to managers to owners.

“He treats you like a family. No matter how much he knows you, it can be one, thirty, three years. He loves the people who work here.” Said Mary Conti, a 45-year-old employee.

Philiou hired Ed Kocsis at the age of 15. He is currently the general manager.

“It wasn’t the original plan. It was a job to get me to high school and college. When I graduated from college, Tony offered me an offer, and it worked very well. “Coxys said.

Philio, now 90, says he has achieved the American dream.

“This can only happen in this country,” he said.

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