Christ “Chris” Scott
Founder
Christ “Chris” Scott, formerly Skountzos, began his remarkable American journey in 1916, emigrating from rural Greece at the age of 13 with $20 sewn into his coat. After arriving at Ellis Island, he adopted the name Chris Scott, a symbolic step toward building a new life in the United States.
He first settled in Minneapolis, MN, where he worked at his uncle’s soda fountain before launching a newspaper delivery business that served the entire city. In his late teens, he moved to Chicago to work in a hotel, an experience that famously included a late-night meal delivery to local gangsters.
Chris later bought a restaurant in a coal-mining town in West Virginia. Attempting to transform it into an upscale eatery, he faced a hard-earned failure, one that taught him his lifelong business mantra: “You’ve got to know your market.”
Eventually relocating to Erie, PA, Chris worked for the Pulakos family before channeling his artistic and musical talents into hair styling. With a $500 loan, he opened Beauty Salon De Beauté and cleverly branded himself as “Charles of the Ritz.” His charm, accent, and talent quickly made the salon a hit.
In the mid-1940s, Chris expanded into dining with the opening of Scott’s Restaurant on Peach Street. With handmade ice cream, thoughtful design, and quality food, he turned the 60-seat restaurant into a bustling favorite. He juggled multiple ventures, including the salon, restaurant, and motel, often with his child helping alongside him.
By the 1960s, he had expanded into motels, including the Niagara and Downtowner, and later into franchising, first with Bonanza, and eventually a network of 13 Arby’s restaurants. One of his favorite sayings was: “If you don’t make a few mistakes, you aren’t pushing hard enough.”
Under Chris’s vision, Scott Enterprises was founded on ambition, adaptability, and a deep connection to the community. These values laid the foundation for future innovations by his family, including Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort in 2003 and the revitalization of Peek’n Peak Resort in 2011.
Today, Scott Enterprises remains family-owned and proudly employs approximately 2,300 people across more than 28 properties in Erie and Western New York. The company serves over four million guests annually and is actively engaged in multimillion-dollar development projects that continue Chris’s legacy.
Chris Scott passed away in 1986, but his spirit lives on in the company’s culture and the work of his son and grandchildren. His timeless advice still guides the team: work hard, embrace risks, stay connected to your community, and never forget where you started.
As he often reminded others: “There is always someone out there trying to take care of your customer.”
