On any given day, Frank Franze is up at the crack of dawn, preparing for another hectic day at work.

“I wear many hats. No suit and tie,” states the owner/operator of Franki’s Pizzeria. “I’m a blue collar guy. I wear an apron and a ball cap.”

This is his routine for nearly two decades. To ensure he continues to offer quality products like traditional pizzas, panzerotti, wings and salads, Frank has made it a full-time commitment.

That work ethic has been on display since he was 13 and started clearing tables at Giulio’s fine dining restaurant, eventually becoming head waiter with stints in the kitchen. When he graduated high school he started a Robin’s Donuts on Red River Road with his father, Peter.

After a few years, he moved to London, Ontario, working for an armoured car company, selling home security systems and cars. He returned to Thunder Bay six months later because “family is more important and home was home.”

He worked at his father’s Robin’s again, then decided he wanted his own business. Franki’s Pizzeria opened on Jan. 24, 2002.

How did he go from serving double-doubles and apple fritters to running a pizza shop? His mother Viola gets the credit. A talented cook, she’d often ask her son what he wanted for supper.

“I told mom: pizza. I could eat it every day. She said, ‘be careful what you wish for.’ And look what happened? I opened my own pizza shop,” Frank recalls fondly.

With nearly a dozen employees, Franki’s Pizzeria is open 7 days a week, typically to 10 p.m. His father often comes in early to prepare the dough. Frank oversees the day-to-day operations, greeting customers and helping prepare the day’s orders.

He often works late in the evening, meaning time with his spouse and two young children are cherished.

“It’s a very understanding family. They get it,” he says, noting that he has a “guaranteed” three days off each year when they close for Christmas, Easter Sunday and Thanksgiving.

Even with the challenges of keeping a small business on a sustainable footing, he accepts charitable donations of clothing and supports local programs, such as the local autism chapter and Isthmus, which provides food for schoolkids.

“When it comes to helping the needy, that’s where my heart goes,” he says.