Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Evanston: Pizzeria delivery unbiased

Wrapping up its monthlong investigation of Giordano’s pizzeria, Evanston’s Human Relations Commission said Sunday that although the two complaints of delivery discrimination were undeniable, the city could not determine that the restaurant racially discriminates.

Commission Chairwoman Paula Haynes investigated two separate complaints, the first made in December by Birnest Hicks and the second filed jointly in January by Palmira Blanchard and Camille Willmington. Both parties said Giordano’s refused to deliver pizza to their homes.

Haynes met with Giordano’s owners several times and drew her findings from the meetings.

“The bottom line is this: The owner was unable to refute the alleged incidents,” Haynes said. “He said, though, that it happened because he had a new manager who was perhaps responding to the requests of drivers.”

Giordano’s owner Ted Mavrakis could not say for certain that this was the case, Haynes said.

“None of us knows (if it’s true). It’s plausible. It doesn’t make it right, but it’s plausible,” she added.

However, Haynes found no evidence for the plausibility of recurring discrimination against blacks and other minorities.

Haynes said she looked into Giordano’s advertising audience and delivery receipts and, based on that information, concluded that the restaurant did not have discriminatory delivery policies.

Bennett Johnson, president of the Evanston/North Shore chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which has been conducting its own investigation into the matter, did not agree with Haynes’ findings. Johnson said the group would continue until punitive measures were taken against Giordano’s.

“It’s ridiculous,” Johnson said of the city’s conclusion. “I can’t think of anything more absurd than that, because people were discriminated against. (Giordano’s) refused to deliver service to black areas.”

In response to Mavrakis’ explanation that the breakdown in store delivery policy is a result of the new manager, Johnson said, “Mavrakis is the owner and the manager, and he is the one who told Willmington and Blanchard that he wouldn’t deliver.”

Since Wednesday, at the city’s request, Giordano’s has prominently posted a statement of nondiscrimination in the restaurant and issued a letter detailing their delivery policies to their employees.

The city and Evanston Police Department also are putting on a delivery safety training session for all of Evanston’s restaurant owners at 9:30 a.m. on April 19 at the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave. The police will give tips on personal safety, and the Human Relations Commission will talk about why it is important to deliver everywhere in the community, Haynes said.

Haynes said she sent out letters to all of Evanston’s restaurant owners last week inviting them to the training session.

Hecky Powell, owner of Hecky’s Barbeque, has previously said he doesn’t deliver to dangerous areas of Evanston. Of the validity of the two complaints against Giordano’s, he said: “I don’t know, but (Haynes) probably could find the same things on me. There are certain areas I do not deliver in because they are problem areas. It’s not a racial issue.”

Powell said he will not be attending the training session.

“I don’t need to be trained,” he said. “I need to train the Human Relations Commission.”

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Evanston: Pizzeria delivery unbiased