The Lovelady Family - A Slice of Gino's History
Just like our pizzas, family history runs deep at Gino’s East. We chatted with Nikita Lovelady – current Gino’s East manager – to discuss the profound impact that three generations of Lovelady ladies have made on our Gino’s family.
Everlene Lovelady
Miss Everlene Lovelady joined Gino’s in 1977 as a pizza cook. She would stay with the company for forty years, working at a few Chicago locations, and eventually becoming a manager at our Superior Street location. She’s described by many as an extremely hard worker, and was the go-to woman to get things done the right way. When we say family runs deep at Gino’s we mean it! Two of Everlene’s three children, three of her sisters, and her mother all worked as a part of the Gino’s family.
Miss Everlene was the third of sixteen children to be born to Christine Lovelady; the matriarch of the Lovelady clan who would follow Everlene in joining the Gino’s East family. Miss Christine Lovelady began working as a pizza cook at our Superior Street location in the early ‘80s, where she remained until her retirement in 1996. When asked about Christine, longtime Gino’s East South Loop manager, Mike Reed, describes her as the fix-it lady in the kitchen. “She could fix any pizza mess up,” he says, laughing “In just two minutes!”
Christine Lovelady
Following in the footsteps of the great Lovelady women that came before her, Nikita began working at Gino’s East when she was still in high school. She started as a carryout employee, and worked her way up to corporate management; she has now been with the company for over fourteen years. Mike Reed recalls Nikita being one of the first people he hired once he became manager, and she was a blind hire! Everlene didn’t need to mention they were related – Nikita’s personality and skills were enough for her to get hired on the spot.
Nikita lovingly describes her family as being caring and dedicated; not only to their work, but to their relationships with friends, family, and co-workers. This sentiment is shared by everyone who has had the pleasure of working with Everlene, Christine, and Nikita.
Nikita Lovelady
The Lovelady family, originally from Missouri, now calls the West side of Chicago home. They’ve been an integral part of Gino’s East since the 1970s, and we couldn’t be more proud to call them part of our family!