District mourns fish and chips legend

By Shaun Inguanzo
NOBLE Park is in mourning after iconic fish-and-chips man John Arabatzis suffered a fatal heart attack at his Ian Street business.
The 65-year-old businessman had proudly produced golden fish and chips at his shop since 1984 when he unexpectedly died from a heart attack while napping at work on 13 February this year.
Family of Mr Arabatzis said his wife Anna went to wake him from the afternoon nap but tragically discovered he was dead.
Regular customers have since been slipping condolence notices under the door of John’s Fish Shop out of respect for Mr Arabatzis’ 23 years of service to the Noble Park community.
His funeral on 20 February at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery attracted more than 700 mourners consisting of friends, Greek Orthodox Church members, fellow Ian Street traders and even customers.
Mr Arabatzis leaves behind his wife Anna, 60, and sons Emmanuel, 40, and Archie, 35.
Archie Arabatzis this week described his father as a man everybody loved.
“He was very easygoing; you could befriend him pretty quickly, and he was always a bit of a joker,” Mr Arabatzis said.
“He would always say something funny to break the ice, starting conversations if placed among strangers.”
Mr Arabatzis’ passing may also spell the end of his business, his son said, with doubt cast over his wife’s ability to manage the shop alone.
“We would be looking at selling it,” he said. “It is too hard now for mum in regards to running it on her own.
“We (the children) can help but not everybody can always be there. It will be a sad day, but what can you do?”
But the loss will not be the only shop that Ian Street will lose because of health-related complications.
In November last year, Brian the Barber, who snipped residents’ hair for 22 years, was forced to sell his Ian Street premises because of kidney problems.
Fellow long-term trader and the owner of Motorpit, Greg Penaluna, said traders who had known Mr Arabatzis for the past 23 years were now “numb”.
“John’s the first one to pass away that everybody knew,” he said.
“In fact, we have had very few deaths of Ian Street traders; it’s more likely a business would fold than someone drop dead. (John’s passing) is a loss we wish had never happened.”
Mr Arabatzis had lived in Dandenong since 1979 after first migrating from Greece to Oakleigh in the mid-1960s.
He was a member of the Dandenong Greek Orthodox Church for 27 years.
Mr Arabatzis’ move to Australia was a pursuit for a new opportunity, and son Archie said his father had realised that dream.
“This was his home, he was very proud to be an Aussie, and never wanted to go back and live in Greece,” he said.