Bell Greek owner Ibo Pinar recently bought More Than Greek in Mechanicsville. (BizSense file)
Expansion is still on the menu for Ibo Pinar, who has scooped up a local Greek eatery less than a year after he opened a new outpost of his Bell Greek restaurant.
Last month Pinar bought Mechanicsville’s More Than Greek from Denise Katz. More Than Greek will maintain its name and menu of sandwiches, pastas and desserts under Pinar’s ownership.
“We’re going to operate it as it is. We don’t want to touch anything and we’re not going to change the menu,” Pinar said in an interview last week.
He said he was interested in the deal because More Than Greek has a similar menu to his Bell Greek concept, and the acquisition gives him an outpost in a part of a town where Bell Greek doesn’t have a presence.
“We purchased More Than Greek because the menu is so similar to us, so it’s essentially pretty easy to operate. The vendors are the same and it was a good deal,” he said. “It helps for synergy purposes and now we can cover more areas.”
Pinar acquired More Than Greek and the lease on its 2,500-square-foot space at 8161 Atlee Road. Financial terms were not disclosed. Pinar’s operating partner at More Than Greek is Robert Farhi, who runs day-to-day operations there.
Pinar said he’s known Katz for a few years, and that she recently approached him about buying her out.
Katz said she sold her restaurant to have more time with her two young grandchildren who live in Connecticut. She plans to continue to live in Richmond, but without a restaurant to run she’ll have more time to make regular trips up north.
“It was a matter of grandchildren,” Katz said. “I wanted the freedom to come and go as I please.”
Katz, who grew up in a New York family of restaurateurs, bought More than Greek in 2018 after 30 years in the insurance industry. The 58-year-old didn’t share any specific new professional plans, but didn’t rule out a return in some fashion to the restaurant business.
“I will never say no,” she said.
Katz was represented in the sale by Dan Scherotter of Filament Business Advisors, a business brokerage firm in Richmond.
The acquisition of More Than Greek comes after Bell Greek opened a restaurant last June at 7011 Three Chopt Road in the Village Shopping Center in western Henrico County. Bell Greek also has locations at 11307 Polo Place in Midlothian and 11360 Iron Bridge Road in Chester. Pinar and his wife, Ashley, bought Bell Greek in 2015.
Bell Greek owner Ibo Pinar recently bought More Than Greek in Mechanicsville. (BizSense file)
Expansion is still on the menu for Ibo Pinar, who has scooped up a local Greek eatery less than a year after he opened a new outpost of his Bell Greek restaurant.
Last month Pinar bought Mechanicsville’s More Than Greek from Denise Katz. More Than Greek will maintain its name and menu of sandwiches, pastas and desserts under Pinar’s ownership.
“We’re going to operate it as it is. We don’t want to touch anything and we’re not going to change the menu,” Pinar said in an interview last week.
He said he was interested in the deal because More Than Greek has a similar menu to his Bell Greek concept, and the acquisition gives him an outpost in a part of a town where Bell Greek doesn’t have a presence.
“We purchased More Than Greek because the menu is so similar to us, so it’s essentially pretty easy to operate. The vendors are the same and it was a good deal,” he said. “It helps for synergy purposes and now we can cover more areas.”
Pinar acquired More Than Greek and the lease on its 2,500-square-foot space at 8161 Atlee Road. Financial terms were not disclosed. Pinar’s operating partner at More Than Greek is Robert Farhi, who runs day-to-day operations there.
Pinar said he’s known Katz for a few years, and that she recently approached him about buying her out.
Katz said she sold her restaurant to have more time with her two young grandchildren who live in Connecticut. She plans to continue to live in Richmond, but without a restaurant to run she’ll have more time to make regular trips up north.
“It was a matter of grandchildren,” Katz said. “I wanted the freedom to come and go as I please.”
Katz, who grew up in a New York family of restaurateurs, bought More than Greek in 2018 after 30 years in the insurance industry. The 58-year-old didn’t share any specific new professional plans, but didn’t rule out a return in some fashion to the restaurant business.
“I will never say no,” she said.
Katz was represented in the sale by Dan Scherotter of Filament Business Advisors, a business brokerage firm in Richmond.
The acquisition of More Than Greek comes after Bell Greek opened a restaurant last June at 7011 Three Chopt Road in the Village Shopping Center in western Henrico County. Bell Greek also has locations at 11307 Polo Place in Midlothian and 11360 Iron Bridge Road in Chester. Pinar and his wife, Ashley, bought Bell Greek in 2015.
I have eaten at Bell Greek one time. It was delicious. Glad to see that they are growing.
More Than Greek is also fantastic. Hoping it stays that way. Possibly best restaurant ever housed in an old convenience store!
I love Greek food and I hope to patron more establishments, as long as they are outside the Richmond city limits.
More Than Greek is my go to when getting together with family and friends. Excellent in so many ways.