Fat Cat Grill & Bar History
Ilias Nousiopoulos came to America in 1968 with a dream and vision to provide a future for his family. By 1969 he purchased Deb's Grinder Shop on West Main Street in Norwich and changed the name to Olympic Pizza. As time passed with his hard work and that of his family, his business outgrew his two table pizza shop. In 1974 he demolished the three story structure which housed Olympic Pizza and three apartments at the corner of West Main Street and Mount Pleasant and built a sixty seat restaurant with an extended menu at the rear of the property. His staff grew from two to fourteen, and his children grew, got married and Ilias became a grandfather. One of his greatest joys was seeing his first generation grandchildren help out at the family business. He began investing in properties surrounding the restaurant and in 1985 he built the three story twenty thousand square feet building known as the West Side Complex. To avoid closing down during construction he purchased the former Village Green Cafe out of which he ran his restaurant. The new 3 story West Side Complex housed not only Olympic Pizza Restaurant, but a bank and numerous State and Federal offices for over twenty five years. The family worked the restaurant till selling the business in December of 2001. After the passing of Ilias' beloved daughter in 2002, his mother in 2006 and with his passing in 2008, the family decided to sell the property housing Olympic Pizza Restaurant, only to start a new chapter for the next generations, to continue the family legacy. They leased the old Blockbuster space directly across the street and opened Fat Cat Grill and Bar. Our hope is to continue to provide our community, which supported us through three generations, with the same great food, ethics and work values that were instilled in us through the years. Thank you for your patronage and support. The family cherishes the many friends made within the community and look forward to making new friends at our new location under our new name.
-The Nousiopoulos Family
