The former Delphi Greek Cuisine restaurant at 2313 Westwood Ave. in Henrico County is being turned into a Tres Machos Mexican Grill & Bar. (J. Elias O’Neal)
A longtime family-run restaurant is handing off the keys to a new operator.
After 20 years of business, Delphi Greek Cuisine owners Ulysses and Christina Avgeros, and daughter Pamela Gingras, have closed their restaurant at 2313 Westwood Ave. and passed the space off to Daniel Velasco, owner of Tres Machos Mexican Grill & Bar.
Delphi Greek closed this summer.
Velasco is transforming the 4,100-square-foot building into his second Tres Machos restaurant, joining its original location that opened about five years ago at 11521 Midlothian Turnpike near Chesterfield Town Center.
“It was simply time for me to find a second location and grow my business,” Velasco said. “This area is really growing, and I wanted to place my second restaurant here.”
This is the first venture in Henrico for Velasco, who with cousin Edmundo Hernandez, is investing more than $200,000 to overhaul the Delphi space to include a bar, new seating, and updated flooring and decor.
The Westwood Avenue Tres Machos is set to open by mid-November, Velasco said, and will seat about 130 people.
Broker Jamie Clark of Statewide Commercial represented Tres Machos in its lease.
Much like its Midlothian location, Tres Machos’ Henrico outpost plans to serve several traditional Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burritos, fajitas and enchiladas. The location also will serve several mixed drinks, and beer and wine selections, including its signature La Malquerida drink, a chilled a Mexican beer served with lime juice, shrimp, assorted spices and pepper with Tres Machos’ house-made Bloody Mary mix.
“I feel like the drinks are going to be a major part of this location’s success since there are so many offices and businesses in the area,” Velasco said. “We’re going to have some happy hour and drink specials to pair with the menu.”
Ice cream from Chesterfield-based La Michoacana also will be offered, along with several traditional Mexican sweets such as flan, churros and sopapillas.
Westwood area is changing
The restaurant changeover is indicative of the changes occurring in the surrounding Westwood area.
Long an industrial stronghold, the corridor is at the center of a sweeping plan that Henrico County leaders are eyeing to rezone and redevelop about 500 acres of the vicinity – much of which abuts the Scott’s Addition border in Richmond.
The largest initial change toward that effort is the pending arrival of Topgolf, which is building a massive golf driving range and entertainment complex across the street from Tres Machos.
The Avgeroses always knew the area eventually would transform, given its proximity to highways and businesses. But Ulysses Avgeros said Father Time told him it was time to step away from running the restaurant.
“I’m upset because I’m old,” the 85-year-old said. “But that’s no one’s fault.”
Looking to maintain the property but also to get out of the restaurant business, the family spoke with several potential operators to take over the space. However, none of them appealed to Avergos matriarchs.
Daniel Velasco (center) with former Delphi Greek owners Ulysses & Christina Avgeros. (J. Elias O’Neal)
Then in walked Velasco.
“We just liked him,” Christina said. “There was something about his spirit that made him so trustworthy.”
With a handshake, the deal was done.
“He’s been more like family,” Ulysses said. “He’s a good guy and I know he’s going to do very well at this location.”
Long path to restaurant success
Opening two restaurants in the metro area has been more than 10 years in the making for Velasco.
“My dad had three restaurants in Hidalgo, Mexico,” he said. “They were very good restaurants, and he taught me a lot about the restaurant business.”
After his father’s passing, Velasco came to America to seek better opportunities for himself and his family.
With $150 in his pocket and few personal belongings, Velasco immigrated to Virginia Beach, where he worked as a laborer at construction sites across Hampton Roads.
“I was living in Virginia Beach and commuting every day to Hampton,” Velasco said. “I was miserable and making about $250 a week.”
Looking to get out of construction, Velasco connected with a friend who was working for Plaza Azteca, one of the largest Mexican restaurant chains in the state.
“He was a waiter and was making about $600 to $1,000 a week,” Velasco said. “Here I was making $250 a week damn near killing myself, and he was making more money working at a restaurant.”
He quit his job the next day and applied for a job with Plaza Azteca, starting out as a busboy and moving up the ranks.
Eventually, Velasco became an assistant manager of the chain’s Glen Allen location.
But the goal of owning his own restaurant stayed with him.
“I would always save, save, save,” Velasco said. “I wanted a place of my own.”
That moment came in 2013, when he launched Tres Machos in Midlothian. It was hard work, since he was still moonlighting at Plaza Azteca in Glen Allen, and struggling to retain customers at the restaurant.
“The first couple of years were a struggle,” Velasco said. “I was coming out of my pocket to cover payroll and the bills since the restaurant wasn’t turning a profit.”
To help grow his Midlothian restaurant, Velasco quit his job with Plaza Azteca and began pouring his time into Tre Machos, which eventually became profitable.
Now, Velasco said he is ready to grow his concept throughout the region.
“I want to have more locations in the area,” he said. “That’s always been my goal, and now, I’m at a point in my life where I can do it. I’m excited and very humbled to be living in this moment right now. It took a lot of hard work, but I’m finally getting there.”
The former Delphi Greek Cuisine restaurant at 2313 Westwood Ave. in Henrico County is being turned into a Tres Machos Mexican Grill & Bar. (J. Elias O’Neal)
A longtime family-run restaurant is handing off the keys to a new operator.
After 20 years of business, Delphi Greek Cuisine owners Ulysses and Christina Avgeros, and daughter Pamela Gingras, have closed their restaurant at 2313 Westwood Ave. and passed the space off to Daniel Velasco, owner of Tres Machos Mexican Grill & Bar.
Delphi Greek closed this summer.
Velasco is transforming the 4,100-square-foot building into his second Tres Machos restaurant, joining its original location that opened about five years ago at 11521 Midlothian Turnpike near Chesterfield Town Center.
“It was simply time for me to find a second location and grow my business,” Velasco said. “This area is really growing, and I wanted to place my second restaurant here.”
This is the first venture in Henrico for Velasco, who with cousin Edmundo Hernandez, is investing more than $200,000 to overhaul the Delphi space to include a bar, new seating, and updated flooring and decor.
The Westwood Avenue Tres Machos is set to open by mid-November, Velasco said, and will seat about 130 people.
Broker Jamie Clark of Statewide Commercial represented Tres Machos in its lease.
Much like its Midlothian location, Tres Machos’ Henrico outpost plans to serve several traditional Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burritos, fajitas and enchiladas. The location also will serve several mixed drinks, and beer and wine selections, including its signature La Malquerida drink, a chilled a Mexican beer served with lime juice, shrimp, assorted spices and pepper with Tres Machos’ house-made Bloody Mary mix.
“I feel like the drinks are going to be a major part of this location’s success since there are so many offices and businesses in the area,” Velasco said. “We’re going to have some happy hour and drink specials to pair with the menu.”
Ice cream from Chesterfield-based La Michoacana also will be offered, along with several traditional Mexican sweets such as flan, churros and sopapillas.
Westwood area is changing
The restaurant changeover is indicative of the changes occurring in the surrounding Westwood area.
Long an industrial stronghold, the corridor is at the center of a sweeping plan that Henrico County leaders are eyeing to rezone and redevelop about 500 acres of the vicinity – much of which abuts the Scott’s Addition border in Richmond.
The largest initial change toward that effort is the pending arrival of Topgolf, which is building a massive golf driving range and entertainment complex across the street from Tres Machos.
The Avgeroses always knew the area eventually would transform, given its proximity to highways and businesses. But Ulysses Avgeros said Father Time told him it was time to step away from running the restaurant.
“I’m upset because I’m old,” the 85-year-old said. “But that’s no one’s fault.”
Looking to maintain the property but also to get out of the restaurant business, the family spoke with several potential operators to take over the space. However, none of them appealed to Avergos matriarchs.
Daniel Velasco (center) with former Delphi Greek owners Ulysses & Christina Avgeros. (J. Elias O’Neal)
Then in walked Velasco.
“We just liked him,” Christina said. “There was something about his spirit that made him so trustworthy.”
With a handshake, the deal was done.
“He’s been more like family,” Ulysses said. “He’s a good guy and I know he’s going to do very well at this location.”
Long path to restaurant success
Opening two restaurants in the metro area has been more than 10 years in the making for Velasco.
“My dad had three restaurants in Hidalgo, Mexico,” he said. “They were very good restaurants, and he taught me a lot about the restaurant business.”
After his father’s passing, Velasco came to America to seek better opportunities for himself and his family.
With $150 in his pocket and few personal belongings, Velasco immigrated to Virginia Beach, where he worked as a laborer at construction sites across Hampton Roads.
“I was living in Virginia Beach and commuting every day to Hampton,” Velasco said. “I was miserable and making about $250 a week.”
Looking to get out of construction, Velasco connected with a friend who was working for Plaza Azteca, one of the largest Mexican restaurant chains in the state.
“He was a waiter and was making about $600 to $1,000 a week,” Velasco said. “Here I was making $250 a week damn near killing myself, and he was making more money working at a restaurant.”
He quit his job the next day and applied for a job with Plaza Azteca, starting out as a busboy and moving up the ranks.
Eventually, Velasco became an assistant manager of the chain’s Glen Allen location.
But the goal of owning his own restaurant stayed with him.
“I would always save, save, save,” Velasco said. “I wanted a place of my own.”
That moment came in 2013, when he launched Tres Machos in Midlothian. It was hard work, since he was still moonlighting at Plaza Azteca in Glen Allen, and struggling to retain customers at the restaurant.
“The first couple of years were a struggle,” Velasco said. “I was coming out of my pocket to cover payroll and the bills since the restaurant wasn’t turning a profit.”
To help grow his Midlothian restaurant, Velasco quit his job with Plaza Azteca and began pouring his time into Tre Machos, which eventually became profitable.
Now, Velasco said he is ready to grow his concept throughout the region.
“I want to have more locations in the area,” he said. “That’s always been my goal, and now, I’m at a point in my life where I can do it. I’m excited and very humbled to be living in this moment right now. It took a lot of hard work, but I’m finally getting there.”
What a great story. I’ve been to the Midlo restaurant and can’t wait for the Westwood location to open so I can throw more support toward this guy. Good things happen to good people, and Mr. Velasco is a great example of that.