LAKEPORT, Calif. – After a quarter century serving Lake County, a local businessman is retiring following the sale of his family’s business.
John Norcio spent his last day at work on Dec. 31 at the Lakeport McDonald’s on Todd Road, which he and his wife, Pat, had owned for 25 years.
Norcio, 65, said he sold the restaurant to a Vacaville-based businessman who also owns the Clearlake McDonald’s and a number of others around the Bay Area.
Business has remained strong despite the tough economy, Norcio said.
“We had a good value product. A lot of customers recognized that,” Norcio said. “Our business was very solid.”
The Lakeport restaurant was known for the quality of its service and employees.
As to why he chose to sell the business and retire, “I just decided it was time to travel and just enjoy life,” said Norcio.
In retirement, he and Pat said they plan to stay in Lake County.
The Norcios have been fixtures in the community, donating generously to a wide variety of local organizations and charities.
“I wish we knew all the things he did. He’s done so much,” said Lake County Chamber Chief Executive Officer Melissa Fulton.
Norcio tends not to brag about his efforts, so Fulton helped fill in some of he and his wife’s accomplishments.
Fulton pointed to his longtime membership on the chamber board and chamber presidency in 1994, he and Pat’s support of youth sports and their annual “McBoo Night” Halloween costume contest, and their continuing sponsorship of the Stars of Lake County Community Awards Program.
John Norcio also is a longtime Lakeport Rotary Club member.
Fulton said the Norcios have been involved with the kinds of efforts that bring the community together.
One of the family’s goals was always to give back to the community, John Norcio said.
“The community treated us very well,” he said.
He added, “It’s a two way street in business,” noting if you do for the community, its members will do for you.
Norcio began with McDonald’s 49 years ago, in 1964.
Then a 16 year old living in San Jose, the young Norcio needed a part-time job because he wanted a car.
He and a friend met the man who had purchased the local McDonald’s franchise, and the owner offered the teens jobs.
Norcio didn’t know what McDonald’s was. At that time, “McDonald’s was relatively new in the San Jose area,” Norcio recalled.
He accepted the job, and would spend 24 years working in a McDonald’s in the Bay Area before buying the Lakeport store and moving to Lake County. His first day on the job in Lakeport was Feb. 1, 1988.
Pat kept busy on the home front, raising the couple’s two children, Nick and Kim, and volunteering. Nick later would be involved in running the Lakeport store, working as its manager.
The Norcios treated their employees like family, so when John Norcio delivered the news about retirement, “They were sad to see us go,” he said. “There was a lot of emotion.”
Norcio said he’s looking forward to spending time riding a motorcycle he recently bought, which he took for a 7,200-mile trip last year.
He and Pat enjoy taking cruises, and visiting with daughter Kim and their grandson in San Jose. They’re also looking forward to seeing more of their friends.
As for a parting piece of advice to local business owners on how to keep going and stay successful, Norcio offered a simple tip.
“Get involved. Pay it back,” he said.
The Norcios have written a thank you letter to the community. Read it here: http://bit.ly/ZkxfLj .
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.