Sometimes it takes a long vacation to get a little direction in your life. That’s what Danice did when she set off for ancient Olympia, Greece. While there she found herself at a restaurant being waited on by the headwaiter, Taki Kyriakopoulos, who, before long, had struck up a conversation with her. The relationship began as a friendship, but later blossomed into romance.
After her vacation Danice traveled back home to tell her parents that she would be moving to Greece for a man who she had fallen for. “Her parents flipped out,” Taki told me. “But she moved to Greece anyways. We spent the next three years island hopping, job hopping and living with my mother. I told her that Danice would only be staying for a couple weeks. After a couple weeks went by she asked me when Danice would be leaving. I answered that she would not be leaving.”
Finally, after the third year, the two decided that they wanted to try out Danice’s hometown of Buffalo. Even though Taki did not know how to speak English (a bit broken, at best), he managed to secure a job cooking at a restaurant on Transit Road. The plan was to work hard at his job in order to eventually set out on his own. He and Danice started saving up money to open their own restaurant, which they managed to do in a relatively short period of time.
“We were driving on Court Street when we saw the For Lease sign. It was then that I started to put in tons of overtime hours so I could afford it. We also borrowed some money to buy the chairs and the tables… it was a real struggle in the beginning. At the time–eight years ago–Buffalo was also struggling because people were moving out of the city. Even though times were tough, we managed to attract a following of loyal customers. I’m excited to see Buffalo doing well these days. It seems like it’s turning a corner,” Danice said.
That following of customers has allowed Taki and Danice to live the life that they always wanted. Two years ago they bought a house in the Elmwood District where they live and raise five and seven-year-old Alec and Zoe. At the age of thirty-eight, Taki claims that he is living his dream. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” he reflected. “I love Buffalo. It’s been very good to me. I love my family and my business… fourteen years later this really feels like home to me.”
Taki’s Restaurant 45 Court St, Buffalo – (716) 845-6422
queenseyes
Newell Nussbaumer is 'queenseyes' - Eyes of the Queen City and Founder of Buffalo Rising. Co-founder Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts. Co-founder Powder Keg Festival that built the world's largest ice maze (Guinness Book of World Records). Instigator behind Emerald Beach at the Erie Basin Marina. Co-creator of Rusty Chain Beer. Instigator of Buffalo Porchfest, and Paint vs. Paint. Founder of The Peddler retro and vintage market on Elmwood. Instigator behind Liberty Hound @ Canalside. Throws The Witches Ball at Statler City, the Hertel Alley Street Art Festival, and The Flutterby Festival. And his latest adventure... FigBuffalo, with the intention of creating a Buffalo United Fashion Front (BUFF). Contact Newell Nussbaumer | Newell@BuffaloRising.com