Greek's Pizzeria Opens in Crystal Lake

UPDATED ON FEB. 21: Greek's Pizzeria opened this past week in Crystal Lake. 

Located at 6000 Northwest Highway (Route 14), Greek's Pizzeria opened on Feb. 17 and is located next to Best Buy, according to the Greek's Pizzeria's Facebook page. The 2,432-square-foot retail space is the former site of Wild Orchid Thai Bistro, which closed in 2012 when the owner retired.

Greek's Pizzeria sells a variety of pizzas, sub sandwiches, "pizza shells" or calzones and pasta.  According to Greek's Pizzeria's website, "the only thing Greek about the restaurant is the owner," but the business does offer a Greek's antipasto salad. Pizzas on the menu include a "Gourmet Wings Yes It's a Pizza!," Gourmet Chicken Ranch and a Cordon Bleu Ala Rafeal, which is topped with a special tomato cheese sauce, baked ham, blended cheese and chicken, according to the Greek's Pizzeria website.

• View the full menu on the Greek's Pizzeria website

The website provides the following additional information about the business: 

Greek’s Pizzeria is a franchise business owned by franchisor Athanasios Chris Karamesines. It was through his vision that he established his first pizzeria in 1969 when he was only 17 years old.

Karamesines has worked in every pizza franchise in the United States. He learned the pizza trade from the crust up. The longevity of his business comes from using fresh vegetables, all milk cheese instead of skim milk cheese and cooking it all on Neapolitan, hand tossed dough that is made fresh daily.

Greek’s Pizzeria uses an enclosed or open kitchen concept, using wood or gas-fired ovens. Full service dining and carry-out service is available. Specialties include gourmet pizzas, pizza shells (calzones), gyros and salads. Greek’s Pizzeria offers a relaxed atmosphere with personalized attention and excellent customer service as well as excellent food quality.
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Written by Stephanie Price

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: An old-fashioned-style pizzeria is the latest recipient of a business incentive grant from the city of Crystal Lake.

The Crystal Lake City Council on Tuesday night approved a $10,000 New Retailer Job Creation and Investment Matching Grant for Greek's Pizzeria, a franchise restaurant specializing in gourmet pizzas, calzones, butter breadsticks, and gyros.

Archie Soulidis plans to open the pizzeria at 6000 Northwest Hwy. (Route 14) next to Best Buy. The 2,432-square-foot retail space is the former site of Wild Orchid Thai Bistro, which closed last year when the owner retired.

Soulidis said he will use the grant money to buy furniture, fixtures and equipment. He estimates spending a total of $31,000 on refrigerators, kitchen equipment and food-preparation equipment, and the city's grant will help offset some of the start-up expenses.

Looking to locate within Crystal Lake, Soulidis said he worked closely with city staffers to find the right location for his restaurant, the first of its kind in Illinois. Greek's Pizzeria started in 1969, and the company has 14 locations in Indiana. 

"It took a year-and-a-half to find a location," Soulidas said. 

Soulidas has already created a Greek's Pizzeria Facebook page in anticipation of opening the restaurant in the city. He plans to hire four full-time and seven part-time employees. 

Crystal Lake created the grant program in November 2011 to lure new or expanding businesses to vacant retail space within the city. The grants are awarded to businesses that make improvements to existing retail spaces and offer employment opportunities.