From Greece, to the historic Gazebo Room Restaurant in Harrisburg PA, to your dinner table, we have a long, proud history that we would like to share with you…
1957- June – George N. Gekas, a Greek immigrant of 1951, establishes the Ranch Restaurant in Harrisburg, PA. The dressing recipe originates as oil and vinegar dressing for cold cut submarine sandwiches. The success of the business allows George to purchase a neighboring restaurant owned by his uncles Bill and Christ Gekas.
1971- George uses the recipe as the official house salad dressing of Locust Street Cafe. The success of this venture and the popularity of the dressing necessitate expansion of the restaurant.
1973- The Adjacent property is acquired and the Gazebo Room Restaurant born. Patrons would request and purchase dressing in emptied liquor bottles, often supplying containers of their own.
1989- Sons, Nick and Steven take the recipe “public”. They form Best Dressed Associates, Inc. meet PA Dept. of Agriculture requirements to begin licensed manufacture and retail sale of the dressing. August- Processing commences with hand filling and labeling operation in the Gazebo Room kitchen.
1991- Best Dressed begins trading with first major distributor, Super Rite Foods Inc., Harrisburg, PA. This necessitates the purchase and implementation of semi-automated filling & labeling machinery and rental of an adjacent property for the new production facility.
1994- Best Dressed expands operations to its previous location in Mechanicsburg, Pa – A 5,000 sq. ft. facility with office, production room, warehouse, and distribution capabilities.
1997- Best Dressed revises its packaging to meet consumer needs for a 16 oz. plastic bottle, shaker cap, and nutritional label. Now called Gazebo Room Greek Salad Dressing & Marinade, the dressing has the same great taste with a great new look. Distribution expands to more than 2,000 retail locations by the end of 1999.
1999-2000- A fully automated production line is sourced, purchased, and implemented to accommodate demand for the Greek dressing and future additions to the product line.
2000- Recipes formulated and testing for New Gazebo Room Balsamic Vinaigrette and Lite Greek dressings.
2001- The addition of Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Lite dressings to product line is complete and available for sale in July.
2003- Expansion project of production facility complete. The production facility is now nearly 10,000 sq. feet.
2004- Preliminary testing of recipes for future products.
2008- Relocation of company headquarters and production facilities to 70,000 square foot building in Lewisberry, PA.
2019- We’re proud to celebrate 30 years of excellence. Thank you to all of our customers who have been with us the entire time, and those who are just joining our Gazebo Room Family.
