PEABODY — One Main Restaurant and Lounge owner Pat Todisco has led what can only be described as an interesting life.
He went to work at the age of 12 for $1 an hour after his father died. He married the love of his life, Kathy when they were only 17 years old. The two met fortuitously – a native of East Boston, Todisco met Kathy, a native of what she calls “Chelsea-by-the-Sea” – when he was skipping school.
Fast forward 45 years and the two have become a major power couple in Peabody, a city they’ve called home for 33 years.
Pat Todisco made his living in the automotive business, owning gas stations and autobody shops. He dabbled in construction and real estate, flipping homes.
But these days you’ll find him in a most unlikely place – behind the bar, in the kitchen or mingling with patrons at what might be the hottest spot in the heart of downtown Peabody – One Main Restaurant and Lounge.
Saturday the place was bustling with a Boston Bruins watch party featuring Boston Anthem singer Todd Angilly. Angilly, who is running for Essex County Clerk of Courts, spent much of the afternoon performing, signing pucks and working the crowd.
“Todd seems determined to put us on the map and he is just a great guy,” Pat Todisco said.
Peabody City Councilor and candidate for the Governor’s Council Anne Manning-Martin was also there. She said the city “can’t survive if we aren’t business friendly.
“Pat and Kathy run such a nice, welcoming business here and they are extremely generous to the community. This is such a good family and what they’ve done here is a great fit for this exact spot on the corner. Pat has a great business concept in that he recognizes that he succeeds when others succeed. He knows if he does well, he tries to help other establishments get off the ground by deflecting business to them as well.”
Pat Todisco bought the building in 2017, which is located at the corner of Foster and Main Streets. He had moved to Peabody 33 years ago to raise his family of three and instantly became committed to making the community a better place to live, work, and play.
Let’s just say it’s mission accomplished.
“We moved to Peabody for the schools and to set my kids up for a good future, which they did,” Todisco said. “I’ve always wanted to run a restaurant, which was on my bucket list so when One Main Street came up for auction, I was determined to see what I could do to help the downtown Peabody area. I’ve had a lot of success with the government of Peabody so I figured I’d give it a shot after doing a walk through and it was a perfect fit, so I purchased it. It took a couple of years to get it to where it belongs, where it is right now. That building is actually dedicated to my mom, Sylvia, who raised five children on her own. She has always been my inspiration. That’s something I hope to keep in my family for life and in my grandchildrens’ lives forever.”
He renovated the dilapidated and empty building into 20 apartments, with retail and commercial space to boot. Shortly before the pandemic, he brought in Stanzy’s Country Ranch Restaurant, completing the rags to riches renovation. When the lease with Stanzy’s expired, he decided to fulfill his bucket list and go into the restaurant business despite never having worked at one.
“It’s been growing and is getting there after a little bit of a slow start,” Todisco said. “It’s been amazing how so many people have stepped up for us. People like Anne Manning-Martin and Todd Angilly and even the mayor who has had a couple of functions here to try to get people to come to the downtown area.”
Todisco takes an interesting spin on competition; he welcomes it, especially from places like Brodie’s which is undergoing extensive renovations.
“That will be a major plus for us,” he said. “I don’t see competition in that. I only see what can make downtown Peabody great. If you’re the only game in town, it just won’t work. I never consider anyone to be competition.”
Kathy Todisco agreed.
“An example is Olio’s. People go there for their function and they end up coming here for afterparties,” she said.
“It just goes to show my point that it’s not competition, it’s what I can’t do, maybe someone else can,” Pat said. “Everybody benefits when you get right down to it.”
Kathy noted that the restaurant is also seeing business increase with rehearsal parties for weddings booked at Olio.
While his mother died five years ago, she is an everyday presence at One Main. Pat honors her memory with a pair of plaques inside and outside of the building dedicating the building to her.
“My mother taught me everything,” Pat said. “She dedicated her entire life to her children. She was only 36 with five kids. She always emphasized the importance of family and showing respect to others. Every day I try to make her proud. I owe everything to her and my wife.”
Todisco said he is proud of the fact that “One Main is far more than just a restaurant.
“We didn’t want to be known as a sports bar or one particular place; we’re about families,” he said. “We’re family-friendly, we’re a bar, we’re a lounge. Families are very important to me so everything we do is geared toward families. No matter what kind of atmosphere you’re looking for, at One Main you’re going to get it.
Todisco said One Main remains a work in progress as it continues to build the business and attract new diners looking for a different experience.
“We’re constantly trying different specials like the $5 burger. We have menus that benefit the community. We try to have different styles of music. We’re adding a third night of live music so now people can have live music Thursday, Frida,y and Saturday nights. The live music is not just an important part of One Main, but for downtown Peabody as well.”
Todisco said he had plans for a restaurant before he bought the property.
“I had plans in my head of what I wanted to do and I think that we’ve pretty much nailed it right now with what we have. I think it’s beautiful and I’m very proud of it. I think it’s key to downtown Peabody. People have always called that property the crown jewel of Peabody. I love the idea that my family, especially my wife and I, are the keeper of the crown jewel of downtown Peabody.”
