Peter Pergiotis took over The Crazy Greek from his parents, Anna and Perry. (Mike Platania photos)
The Crazy Greek is heading back to Chesterfield.
The longtime local Greek restaurant is preparing to open a new location at 13249 Rittenhouse Drive in the Village at Swift Creek Shopping Center.
Since its founding in the 1970s, The Crazy Greek has had a handful of different homes throughout the Richmond region. It most recently operated locations at 5905 W. Broad St. and in Hancock Village, both of which closed this year.
The newest Swift Creek location will be the fifth space to house The Crazy Creek, and its opening will mark a bit of a passing of the torch in its ownership.
At the helm of The Crazy Greek now is Peter Pergiotis, who’s taken over the business from his parents Anna and Perry Pergiotis. Along with his uncle John Alexandropolous, Anna and Perry bought the restaurant from the Panos family in 1996 when it was at 1903 Staples Mill Road.
The restaurant recently closed its 5905 W. Broad St. location, as well as its spot at Hancock Village.
They all ran it together until the early 2010s, when Peter said his family decided they had perhaps too many cooks in the kitchen.
“The family grew. We got older, my cousins got older, and we all wanted to be a part of the restaurant. But one restaurant for two families just wasn’t cutting it,” Pergiotis said. “So, we had to branch out. We had to divide and conquer.”
His uncle opened the Crazy Greek in Hancock Village, and his parents opened the West Broad Street spot, as well as a location on Busy Street near Chesterfield Towne Center. Meanwhile, The Crazy Greek’s original home on Staples Mill has since been taken back over by the Panos family, who opened The Greek Taverna there in 2017.
In the spring, after 10 years, Alexandropolous closed his Crazy Greek location at 14640 Hancock Village St. That was about the same time the lease on the Pergiotis’ space on West Broad was up. With his parents looking toward retirement, Peter decided to look to bring The Crazy Greek back to Chesterfield.
“It worked out almost perfectly. We found out they were going to be closing, then a month later our lease was up. We probably would’ve renewed (on West Broad) if we didn’t find this spot,” Pergiotis said.
The Crazy Greek’s new spot is located in a Kroger-anchored shopping center just west of the Hull Street Road-State Route 288 interchange.
Pergiotis said the new Crazy Greek’s menu will be about 80 percent the same as the past locations’, and that he’s aiming for a September opening. The 2,800-square-foot space was formerly home to Indian restaurant Mystiq Masala and pizza bar Tap900.
Owning a restaurant has been a lifelong dream for Pergiotis, who’s been in the industry for 15 years and graduated from the Art Institute of New York’s culinary school. Getting his foot in the door at his family’s own restaurant wasn’t easy.
“My dad was tough on me. He didn’t give me a job right away,” Pergiotis said, laughing. “He said, ‘My kitchen is set right now!’”
These days, Pergiotis is calling the shots, as he said his parents are helping him get the newest Crazy Greek ready.
After so many years of playing musical chairs with locations, Pergiotis said he’s hoping to have The Crazy Greek settle into the new space off Hull Street Road for a while.
“I’m excited to start my new chapter. I don’t want to move,” he said. “I don’t even want to grow. One restaurant is good enough for me.”
Peter Pergiotis took over The Crazy Greek from his parents, Anna and Perry. (Mike Platania photos)
The Crazy Greek is heading back to Chesterfield.
The longtime local Greek restaurant is preparing to open a new location at 13249 Rittenhouse Drive in the Village at Swift Creek Shopping Center.
Since its founding in the 1970s, The Crazy Greek has had a handful of different homes throughout the Richmond region. It most recently operated locations at 5905 W. Broad St. and in Hancock Village, both of which closed this year.
The newest Swift Creek location will be the fifth space to house The Crazy Creek, and its opening will mark a bit of a passing of the torch in its ownership.
At the helm of The Crazy Greek now is Peter Pergiotis, who’s taken over the business from his parents Anna and Perry Pergiotis. Along with his uncle John Alexandropolous, Anna and Perry bought the restaurant from the Panos family in 1996 when it was at 1903 Staples Mill Road.
The restaurant recently closed its 5905 W. Broad St. location, as well as its spot at Hancock Village.
They all ran it together until the early 2010s, when Peter said his family decided they had perhaps too many cooks in the kitchen.
“The family grew. We got older, my cousins got older, and we all wanted to be a part of the restaurant. But one restaurant for two families just wasn’t cutting it,” Pergiotis said. “So, we had to branch out. We had to divide and conquer.”
His uncle opened the Crazy Greek in Hancock Village, and his parents opened the West Broad Street spot, as well as a location on Busy Street near Chesterfield Towne Center. Meanwhile, The Crazy Greek’s original home on Staples Mill has since been taken back over by the Panos family, who opened The Greek Taverna there in 2017.
In the spring, after 10 years, Alexandropolous closed his Crazy Greek location at 14640 Hancock Village St. That was about the same time the lease on the Pergiotis’ space on West Broad was up. With his parents looking toward retirement, Peter decided to look to bring The Crazy Greek back to Chesterfield.
“It worked out almost perfectly. We found out they were going to be closing, then a month later our lease was up. We probably would’ve renewed (on West Broad) if we didn’t find this spot,” Pergiotis said.
The Crazy Greek’s new spot is located in a Kroger-anchored shopping center just west of the Hull Street Road-State Route 288 interchange.
Pergiotis said the new Crazy Greek’s menu will be about 80 percent the same as the past locations’, and that he’s aiming for a September opening. The 2,800-square-foot space was formerly home to Indian restaurant Mystiq Masala and pizza bar Tap900.
Owning a restaurant has been a lifelong dream for Pergiotis, who’s been in the industry for 15 years and graduated from the Art Institute of New York’s culinary school. Getting his foot in the door at his family’s own restaurant wasn’t easy.
“My dad was tough on me. He didn’t give me a job right away,” Pergiotis said, laughing. “He said, ‘My kitchen is set right now!’”
These days, Pergiotis is calling the shots, as he said his parents are helping him get the newest Crazy Greek ready.
After so many years of playing musical chairs with locations, Pergiotis said he’s hoping to have The Crazy Greek settle into the new space off Hull Street Road for a while.
“I’m excited to start my new chapter. I don’t want to move,” he said. “I don’t even want to grow. One restaurant is good enough for me.”
Hard working family. All the best you.
The pizza is wonderful! I’m glad they’re staying in Chesterfield; we’ll have to visit the new location!