Andrew’s Pizza closes after 33 years on Oak Street

“We had an idea and a somewhat of a plan in the winter of 2020,” McElderry said. “COVID totally changed that whole plan.”

Under the most difficult pressures and unforeseen challenges, they persevered and guided the pizza shop, dessert bakery and movie theater through the COVID shutdowns by offering delivery, online ordering and takeout options. McElderry points to the employment landscape in 2020 and how it was the “most taxing thing” about running a business during COVID. He added that it came to a point where he and Melissa realized they were not doing their best as employers for their loyal workers.

“By 2023, we were out of energy. And that wasn’t fair to the employees,” he said.

Much of Andrew’s Pizza staff are mainstays behind the counter. Longtime General Manager Chris Ellison retired in 2022 to travel but had been with the pizzeria for more than 20 years. Andrew’s Pizza's longest-standing employee, Daycy Lisea, has also been on staff for more than two decades.

“She’s been with us for 22 or 23 years and [she’s] an amazing woman. Incredible,” said McElderry.

“She is literally the backbone,” added Melissa McElderry.

Lisea’s son, Victor, has been on staff for 10 years and together they have provided top-notch service in the kitchen. The McElderrys also thanked Graysen Smith for her contributions as a loyal and enthusiastic worker and new General Manager Justin Crowley, who “does what the business needs to have done to keep it moving forward,” said McElderry.

McElderry was 24 years old when he opened the restaurant.

“We started off in about 5- to 600 square feet of that building, and not knowing how we were going to do,” he explained, but the McElderrys felt a sense of comfortability because both had experience in the food service industry already. He noted a milestone for the business was opening the attached Skylight Theater. They moved into a space behind the kitchen and dining area where they eventually opened two movie theaters.

“It was really a great opportunity to contribute and enhance the downtown businesses,” McElderry said, who also owned the Hood River Cinemas, another popular destination for movie buffs before they sold their share in the cinema in March.

Residents have a long debated who has the best pizza in the Gorge, but to the McElderrys, it’s not about serving the best pizza, it’s about giving back to the community.

“In a nutshell, I mean the simple act of supporting us on a business level just on that basis alone, it afforded us so many opportunities to do what we wanted to do for the community,” McElderry said.

Throughout their years in the downtown Hood River district, Melissa McElderry worked with New Parent Services and Andrew McElderry was involved with the Chamber of Commerce, United Way and together they even coached the boys and girls Hood River Valley High School lacrosse teams.

“Words cannot express our gratitude to the community and the Columbia Gorge community as a whole,” Andrew McElderry said. “This is a very unique place to live. I could cry right now how much I love this town and this whole area and the people in it.”

The two plan to take time off to be with family and a little R&R: Rest and relaxation. Andrew said Hood River is home and they will continue to manage some apartments they own in town.

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Another story will be published soon on the new owners at 107 Oak Street in Hood River. Stay tuned for more information on Novus, Hood River’s newest downtown establishment.