Steve Christodoulides has 25 years of restaurant experience under his belt but never before has he opened up an eatery in East Lansing - until now.
Christodoulides said people are anxiously awaiting the opening of his new family-owned and operated restaurant, Spartan Gyros, 565 E. Grand River Ave., where Taco Bell used to stand.
"Kids have stopped by here asking, 'When are you going to open?'" he said.
If all goes well, Christodoulides predicts the doors will open for business in about three weeks, just in time for the start of another MSU school year.
Spartan Gyros will be run by Christodoulides, his wife and 19-year-old son, and the menu will showcase different types of sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue ribs and, of course, gyros.
"There's a big variety on the menu," Christodoulides said. "Gyros will be the most popular - those are our specialty."
He's had the building for about a month, however, he encountered some minor setbacks that prevented him from opening the restaurant sooner, mainly involving the completion of the kitchen.
"We've had complications with construction," he said.
Things are under control, and he is excited about displaying the finished product after all the work he's put into it is complete, he said.
"I expect a big crowd because they're going to like the food," Christodoulides said. "I'll be here all the time. If I have to do this, I'll sleep here."
Christodoulides said the desserts offered at the restaurant - baklava, cheesecake and rice pudding - make it unique.
"Nobody makes rice pudding the way I make it," he said, laughing.
Another new specialty business that will be popping up along Grand River Avenue in the near future is California Juice Company, 549 E. Grand River Ave., a smoothie bar similar to that of Jamba Juice.
California Juice Company will specialize in offering customers several different powder inhibitors to add to their drinks.
The business missed its original goal of opening in mid-July, but co-owner Erin Horton, said that was a pretty ambitious time line.
"There were health inspector setbacks and it took longer to get equipment in," she said. "They were mild setbacks, we have a pretty good time line now. We're almost 100 percent sure it will be mid-August."
As for being a business owner at just 23 years old, Horton is confident she is can handle the reigns.
"I'm actually more or less preparing myself for pure chaos," she said. "I don't think I'm going to be relaxed for a long time.
"As long as we can stay open for a long time and have people come in, we're succeeding."
Tim Dempsey, East Lansing's community and economic development administrator, said only time will tell how the new restaurants will fare in the city.
"The restaurant market is extremely competitive, probably more so than ever in (the city)," he said. "Anybody who comes into the market has to be ready to compete."
