Robert Grendow, the co-founder and co-owner of Danny Boy’s pizza restaurants in Northeast Ohio, died on Saturday, Jan. 13, at the age of 60.
Grendow was born on Feb. 2, 1963, in Amherst and graduated from St. Paul High School in Norwalk, according to his obituary from Jenkins Funeral Chapel.
He earned a B.S. from Bowling Green State University in 1986 and worked in the hotel industry and as a bookseller before transitioning to restaurants, his obituary states.
According to the website for Danny Boys, Grendow and his wife Renee met and fell in love at a Rocky River pizza parlor, both sharing a love of the music of the Rat Pack and Frank Sinatra.
In 1991, the newly married couple purchased the Rocky River pizza shop and rebranded it to Danny Boy’s, adding décor and music that paid homage to their shared love of the classic crooners. That restaurant would become the flagship of the popular franchise that has since expanded to five other locations.
The couple retired in December 2022, selling the business to their son and business partners, according to Grendow’s obituary.
News 5 visited Danny Boys in December 2020 and spoke to Camden Grendow about the challenges restaurants were facing during the pandemic:
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“Known for his loving personality and easy disposition, Rob touched so many over the years,” his obituary reads.
Services for Grendow will be held on Saturday, Jan. 20, at Jenkins Funeral Chapel, located at 2914 Dover Center Road in Westlake. The viewing begins at 12 p.m., followed by a short service at 4 p.m.
The service will be streamed live online here.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Heart Association or Alzheimer’s Association are requested.
