Fox Theatre owner finds value in community

"There was poverty and hunger. People were struggling. Their dreams, we were living their dreams,” he said.

Anagnostou also noticed, however, the value of community and coming together to celebrate life.

"It was all about quality of life. It inspired me. I left after three months and thought, ‘What’s wrong with America?’ We have cars, good jobs, nice homes and no real nightlife. No real scene people can hang out at; no community plazas or gathering places,” he said.

This realization was a turning point for Anagnostou who today co-owns many buildings in downtown Redwood City and has been instrumental in leading a revitalization effort. For Anagnostou, it’s not about creating a new feeling, but bringing back the scene of the "good old boys” — as he calls them — built originally decades ago. The road to his successful position was a long one that had to be rebuilt along the way.

Anagnostou, 50, was born in San Francisco but raised in Daly City. His ambition began early. He graduated high school at 17. On his 18th birthday, Anagnostou earned his real estate license and associate of arts degree from the College of San Mateo. Law prohibits granting of a license to anyone under 18, making Anagnostou one of the youngest agents in the state at the time.

For three years, Anagnostou lived at home selling homes while driving his 1965 Volkswagen. At 21, he moved to San Diego to tackle a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University. Anagnostou never finished the degree, but also never stopped selling property. Anagnostou opened a brokerage firm that same year — again at the youngest age legally allowed.

By 33, Anagnostou thought he’d done it all. He was running a 40-agent brokerage firm and was quite successful. In the late 1980s, however, his luck changed. The savings and loan crisis broke and ambition got the best of him.

By the early 1990s, he lost everything.

Recovery wasn’t easy.

Anagnostou dusted himself off and started working with his younger brothers — Gus and Sam — and their father, George, on a new goal: Downtown Redwood City.

"I always thought Redwood City was a sleeping giant. We realized it could be reawakened. That’s been the mission the last 12 years,” he said.

Revitalization started with the purchase and refurbishment of the Foresters Hall back into a place to dance and hold celebrations. Since then, Anagnostou and his business partner Mike Monte slowly bought buildings downtown. They didn’t renovate them right away, however, waiting for the city’s Downtown Precise Plan to be finished — which took a little longer than anticipated.

"Now, because the city of Redwood City’s staff are such big thinkers, the precise plan greatly inspired us even further,” said Anagnostou.

As the plan nears completion, Anagnostou anticipates the downtown area to be a well-known gathering place with many independently owned options for food, movies and live entertainment in the next seven years.

Anagnostou is directly responsible for many of the Bay Area bands on the Peninsula. He and Monte own and operate the Fox and Little Fox theatres on Broadway. Both offer completely different arenas. The Little Fox focuses on an up-close and personal performance while the Fox is a grand venue in the beginning stages of rehabilitation.

"Music and live entertainment are the soul of the city. If you don’t have a vibrant scene, you don’t have a vibrant city,” he said.

When the Redwood City project is well under way, Anagnostou sees himself traveling the world to help others achieve the grandiose turnaround he knows can happen. But first, he wants to slow down, starting with a little more family time.

His wife of nine years, Patty, and he could take a vacation with Monte and his girlfriend. Anagnostou loves spending time with his children, 8-year-old George and 6-year-old Alexandra. Anagnostou loves to cycle. His kids have ridden more than 250 miles with him thus far. Anagnostou loves the outdoors, despite his limited time to enjoy those activities.

Until then, his head is in the game working hard to live up to the promises and visions he shared with so many others. The wait is an ongoing economic struggle, but Anagnostou knows the result will be worth the payoff.

"It’s like a great bottle of wine,” he said. "You can’t open it too early or it’s no good.”

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.