LYNN — This is one “Pistol” for which you won’t need a background check.
If you go into John’s Roast Beef Friday and ask for one, you won’t get a gun in return. But you will get a New England lobster roll.
The sandwich is called “The Pistol,” and it’s named after one of Lynn’s most legendary athletes — “Pistol” Pete Pedro, a 1959 Lynn Tech graduate who later starred in football for West Texas State (which is now West Texas A&M University).
“I’ve wanted to honor him for some time now,” said Taso Nikolakopoulos, who owns the establishment on the corner of Western Avenue and Chatham Street. “He was such a wonderful man.”
Pedro, who, in his sophomore season at West Texas State was the second-leading rusher in the nation, died in April 2018 at the age of 76.
“I miss him greatly,” said Nickolakopoulos. “Anyone who ever ran into Pedro came away thinking he was just a genuinely good guy. They talked about the way he treated people. He was also one of the region’s best athletes.”
Since Pedro was a regular customer at John’s, Nickolakopoulos wanted to pay tribute to him. So he asked Pedro’s daughter, Helen Brown and her husband, David, what would be the best way to do that. They mentioned that Pedro loved lobster rolls.
“(Helen) noted how friendly we were, and that we had kind of a special relationship,” Nickolakopoulos said. “They welcomed the idea.”
And thus, the “Pistol” was born.
“Actually, we served lobster rolls about 20 years ago, but we’re bringing it back, starting Friday,” he said.
Nickolakopoulos said he feels fortunate to be able to do this.
“Everyone’s been fortunate enough to be healthy, and I’m grateful we’re still here. If you’d asked me eight weeks ago whether we’d still be here, I’d have probably said ‘no.’”
