What Jeri Weinstein wouldn’t give for a Garcia’s gutbuster right now.
“I live in California,” says the retired LAPD commander (Class of '77), “and you can’t get great pizza out here.”
Weinstein’s connection to Garcia’s runs a little deeper than most regulars’. We’ll let her tell it.
“During my early years at the U of I, I lived at Bromley Hall and was ultimately a resident adviser there. There was a nice mezzanine with a big study hall and a Garcia’s Pizza at the end of the hall.
“Besides the yummy pizza, I used to go in all the time and play pinball. I loved El Dorado.
“One time, during summer school, Garcia’s was empty with one manager there and I was in playing pinball. Suddenly, a summer camp with 30 to 40 kids came in and Char, who was behind the counter, was overwhelmed. I did not work there, but asked if she wanted some help and she put me to work making pizzas. We made it through the night with no problems.
“After the Flying Tomato Brothers found out what I did, Ralph Senn offered me a job and I worked for Garcia’s, at all their restaurants, through undergrad and graduate school.”
