When Dimitris Meletlidis, owner of Broadway House of Pizza, first heard about the Chelsea Walk Revitalization Project, he had reservations. Today, he stands as one of its strongest supporters.
Meletlidis arrived in the United States from Greece in 1981 and went on to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering from Northeastern University. In 1987, he and his family bought a Chelsea property just a short distance from where his business operates today. After acquiring the current building, he established the successful restaurant he has operated for the last 30-plus years. His business portfolio also includes Prattville Pizza along with additional locations in Revere and West Roxbury.
Making two daily trips to Chelsea and frequently staying until midnight or later, Meletlidis has built genuine relationships throughout the community. He engages easily with people of all ages—teenagers, adults and seniors alike. With characteristic warmth and humor, he remarks, “I’ve known this guy since he was practically a baby, always coming in for pizza!”
Given his deep investment in Chelsea and the Chelsea Walk’s success, it makes sense that Meletlidis monitors the project’s development closely. He has shown his commitment by donating pizza to support Artist Silvia Lopez Chavez and the numerous volunteers assisting over the past week.
Though initially doubtful about the initiative, Meletlidis now finds himself reconsidering, even contemplating whether the mural might extend to the back of his own building.
As a devoted husband and father of two—with a son attending Amherst and a daughter pursuing law studies at Suffolk—Meletlidis embodies the vision that Lopez Chavez has brought to life in her mural “A City of Dreams.”
The artwork celebrates Chelsea’s rich multicultural heritage, reflecting how the city has long embraced immigrants from around the world, united in their commitment to fostering inclusivity, diversity and tolerance.