Restaurateur thankful for opportunity.
George Katris, native of Greece, plans to open eatery in Greenfield.
By DEREK R. SMITH dsmith@greenfieldreporter.com
GREENFIELD — Thanksgiving has special significance for restaurateur George Katris, who worked his way up from humble beginnings in Greece with hard work and sheer determination.
Katris is proud of what he’s been able to accomplish in his adopted land of opportunity as he looks ahead to opening a Lincoln Square Pancake House in downtown Greenfield next year.
“My dream was to come to the United States. I said ‘This is the country for me,’” said Katris, who has opened more than a dozen restaurants since the late 1980s. “All of us should be thankful for what we have and what God has given us. Sometimes, we take it for granted.”
Katris said he left his village in Greece at age 13 with no money. He moved to a small city and later to Athens, where he worked in an office and as a waiter. At age 18 he immigrated to Canada and was soon washing dishes for $18 a week. He began learning English with the help of a dictionary – learning a single word a day.
“I always had the guts,” Katris said. “I was never afraid to speak the language. A lot of people didn’t understand me, but I didn’t care.”
Katris learned the restaurant business from the ground up. He worked as a bus boy and server at a hotel and later worked in the dining room for Canadian Pacific Railway. He met his wife in the mid-70s when he moved back to Greece.
But after visiting the United States, Katris became determined to immigrate here despite numerous obstacles. He moved to the Chicago area and worked as a cook and server in night clubs. On the day he finally got his Social Security card Katris “felt like I won the lottery.”
Then the question became how he was going to support his family in the long term. Katris experimented with the fast food business but soon realized it wasn’t for him. He then began looking for a location to open a sit-down restaurant that could serve fare such as breakfast and Greek food. He ventured to South Bend but didn’t like the location. He heard about another location in a city called Kokomo.
What he found in this unfamiliar place was a location along U.S. 31 that could be easily accessed by Delco and Chrysler employees.
In 1988, Katris signed a 10-year lease for what would become the first Lincoln Square. He later opened a fine dining restaurant called Seville.
Over the years Katris has opened 10 Lincoln Square restaurants and five other restaurants in cities like Indianapolis, Elwood, Alexandria and Peru.
“I had a lot of customers that were telling me ‘Come to Greenfield, Come to Greenfield, Come to Greenfield,’” Katris said.
George’s 33-year-old son Chris has partnered with his father in the family restaurant business for the past seven years. Chris said he’s thankful for the blessings he’s received, such as a Purdue University education.
“I’m just thankful for everything I have,” said Chris Katris. “We (the United States) are still the greatest country in the world. There’s no doubt about that.”
George Katris credits Greenfield officials for making him feel welcome. He made the decision last week to buy the building at 118 W. Main St. that for years has held Victorian Rose Catering.
Margie Ellis has owned Victorian Rose for 11 years. She caters weekly Kiwanis meetings, bi-monthly Sertoma meetings and a monthly Christian Women’s Club meeting, as well as weddings and church functions.
Ellis will honor a slate of upcoming Christmas parties before moving out and retiring.
“It’s kind of going to be bittersweet,” Ellis said. “I’ve made a lot of friends. It’s been a good business over the years.”
The Katrises plan to move into the Greenfield building in February with the goal of opening Lincoln Square in May. The menu will include Greek food such as gyros, Greek chicken and Greek salad; as well as pasta, burgers and breakfast served all day.
As tough as it is to call it quits on the catering, Ellis thinks Lincoln Square will be a great addition to the downtown’s business community.
“I’m excited about that,” Ellis said. “It’s one of my favorite places in Indianapolis to eat.”
Katris said he plans to spend $350,000 to $500,000 to upgrade the interior and exterior of the Main Street building, adding he plans to give the inside a Mediterranean flair.
One idea for the exterior is allowing artists to paint a mural on the east wall. City officials are also excited over the possibility of adding another public parking lot adjoining the building.
Mayor Brad DeReamer said he’s set out to upgrade the downtown and that the Lincoln Square project will help accomplish that goal.
“The most important part is that George and Chris are what we’re looking for in corporate partners,” DeReamer said. “They’re willing to work with us and they’re exactly what we are looking for in the city of Greenfield.”
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