Jackson County residents will not have far to go for authentic Greek-American cuisine beginning Wednesday.
That is opening day for the new Gyros King restaurant, located at the former Long John Silver’s site at 2001 E. Tipton St., Seymour.
Owner Angelo Tourloukis said Gyros King in Seymour will be the first restaurant he has opened with that name, but he has introduced King Gyros eateries to at least seven or eight cities in Indiana, including Shelbyville, Mooresville and Anderson.
"Back in 1987, I opened my first King Gyros in Plymouth, Indiana, along with some other guys when I was about 23 or 24 years old," Tourloukis said. "I’m 56 now, so I’ve been in the restaurant business for a long time."
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Tourloukis said he will live here for three or four months to get the business going and plans on doing the best he can. He has converted four Long John Silver’s in central Indiana to King Gyros.
"I currently live in Valparaiso but also have a house in central Indiana so I can be closer to take care of the businesses," Tourloukis said. "I also own the Blueberry Hill Pancake Houses in Indiana, located in Indianapolis and the surrounding area."
When he got the call about the Long John Silver’s location in Seymour becoming available, it seemed like a good spot right next to a stoplight.
"We are planning on employing about six to 10 people eventually; however, right now is the slowest time of the year for restaurants," Tourloukis said. "We were going to open sooner, but there was a delay, so we’re going to go ahead and open in the wintertime."
Tourloukis said he is Greek-American and was born in Greece, but he has lived in America since he was 15. His wife and children are Americans.
He said some of the menu items have changed from the original King Gyros establishment, so he changed the name and wants to try the market in southern Indiana and hopes to one day break into the Kentucky area, too.
Besides the Greek items on the menu, there will be American food, such as tenderloins, fish, hamburgers, salads and shrimp, Tourloukis said.
"We welcome everyone to our new facility, and we will try the best we can to satisfy the people," Tourloukis said. "Of course, it’s hard in the beginning with new employees, but with a little help from God, we’re going to make it."
Restaurant manager Adi Azari just moved to Seymour from Anderson, where he managed a King Gyros. Azari has been in the restaurant managing business for eight years.
Azari said the gyro meat comes in a cone and spins very slowly in an upright rotisserie and is sliced as it’s cooked and put onto pita bread or flatbread with vegetables and Greek sauce. There’s a choice of beef or chicken.
"We are still hiring and need a couple more cashiers," Azari said. "I’m lucky that I already have the cooks lined up."
Before he moved here, Azari drove back and forth on his days off from the restaurant he managed in Anderson. Since October, he has been finalizing details on remodeling and helping get the building ready.
"I know Angelo has been looking at the Seymour location for about a year but didn’t really have a location until now," Azari said. "He has been wanting to open up a restaurant in Seymour, and he thinks it’s a good market, especially for this kind of food."
The big question is how is gyros pronounced?
"You break it into two syllables, and the first sounds like yee and the second part sounds like ros," Azari said. "Over the past eight years, I’ve heard it pronounced many different ways, seldom correctly, but we just go with it."
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What: Gyros King, authentic Greek-American cuisine (dining room and drive-thru available)
Where: 2001 E. Tipton St., Seymour (formerly Long John Silver’s)
Days/hours: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week (except for Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Opening day: Wednesday
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