Trader Gus, Inc.

This profile of Trader Gus and Athens Gyros restaurant was written by D.M Wasylik of the Waunakee Tribune and appeared in their September 27, 2007 print edition. It has been posted here with the permission of Roberta Bauman of the Waunakee Tribune.

Gus Kyriakopoulos: He's brought gyros to the area

By D.M Wasylik
Tribune Correspondent

Waunakee Tribune

September 27, 2007

In 1969, when Gus Kyriakopoulos came to Los Angeles, Calif., he stayed with relatives who took him to Disney World among other places of interest. After that amazing visit, Kyriakopoulos made a life changing decision:

"That's it, I'm staying in America."

The United States took his heart.

Kyriakopoulos was born in Kalamata, Greece, a region famous for it's black olives. His family of four brothers and one sister along with his parents worked a family farm of figs, grapevines, and dairy cows. Besides the farm, they owned a tavern and a seafood restaurant.

On his own since age 14, Kyriakopoulos helped support the family with various jobs as well.

"Farming is a hard life," Kyriakopoulos said.

From the age of 16 to 17, he was a bus boy on a cruise ship touring Greek islands.

"I liked that kind of work but there was more money in the merchant marine," Kyriakopoulos said.

For 15 months, he worked maintenance on the ship's engines, travelling the world. At every port, he had a week off to visit the countries whose soil he set foot on.

After a time, Kyriakopoulos moved from California to Illinois. He worked at the Parthenon Restaurant in downtown Chicago where gyros were first introduced to America in 1968.

He learned the secret recipe from the original gyro makers. Kyriakopoulos explained that gyros mean "something goes around" in Greek.

The authentic gyros consisted of pork and lamb, but the recipe was changed to beef and lamb for those who wanted to satisfy their palate and comply with certain religious restrictions against pork.

Intending to stay in Chicago, in 1972, Kyriakopoulos discovered Madison. He came up for a visit with friends and thought, "This is a great place for young guys," and made the move, he said.

On one of his return trips to Greece to visit his family, Kyriakopoulos met his wife, Angela. In 1988 she joined him and she, too, preferred Madison to the big city of Chicago. The couple were married in Winnepeg, Canada where Kyriakopoulos has many family members.

During the early years in Madison, Kyriakopoulos managed the Athens restaurant on State Street. For the past 11 years, Angela has worked as a pharmaceutical technician at the King Pharmaceuticals factory. Thrombin and saline are their main products shipped all over the world.

In 1994, the couple had a restaurant business venture in North Dakota.

They lasted three years. With seven months of cold weather, they said, "Let's go back to Madison."

Kyriakopoulos always came to the Greek community through the church. Here in Madison it is Assumption Greek Orthodox Church.

Throught the church he keeps in touch with his Greek roots and traditions. Through the restaurant business he has established a camraderie with many different people.

"I know friends' hearts through their stomachs," Kyriakopoulos said.

Kyriakopoulos and his family return to Greece yearly to visit with family and reconnect. These times can be an adjustment and readjustment between cultures. Life in Greece is at a much slower pace with an emphasis on enjoying each other's company in a relaxed setting while life in the United States is lived in the fast lane where every minute is filled.

The Kyriakopouloses and their daughters uphold their Greek family and holiday customs and continue to speak in their native tongue fluently.

Kyriakopoulos spent 15 years as manager of the Parthenon Restaurant also on State Street.

As a restaurant manager of many years experience, Kyriakopoulos always wanted to own his own establishment.

"If you have responsibility for someone else, why not for yourself?" he said.

His friend from the church, neighbor and now business partner, Nick Ladopoulos, from Thesaloniki, Greece, is a land developer and developed the Yahara Crossing Center.

A former career officer in the Greek Navy, Ladopoulos arrived in the states 40 years ago and received a master's degree in comparative literature.

While a manager at the Parthenon Restaurant, Kyriakopoulos has grown to know many people, and it was often suggested that he open a Greek restaurant in the Waunakee area. Between the two friends, they came up with a gas station/restaurant arrangement in their Westport location.

The successful combination of Trader Gus has been serving up Mediterranean cuisine for the past year.

The Greek dishes are all home-made by Kyriakopoulos, including the huge cones of gyros and fresh daily cucumber yogurt for the sauce and soups. Angela does all the baking. Their two daughters, Theresa, age 18 and Matina, age 17, also lend their assistance to the family business.

Angela has always loved to cook and bake, learning from her mother and passing on the delicious pastry making to her daughters.

To work in the demanding business of restaurants as long as Kyriakopoulos has, appreciating the work is essential.

"I love working with people, working with the public and seeing people enjoy food," Kyriakopoulos said.