On Monday, October 12, Nicky’s Gyros will turn a sidewalk into a block party. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the family restaurant at 2050 Sibley Blvd. in Calumet City will celebrate 40 years in business with street closures, bouncy houses, tents and seating, and giveaways of T-shirts, hats, and keychains. The Village of Calumet City is closing the street, providing police security, and supplying tents so customers can stay and celebrate on site.
The date the Kotsiovos family still marks is October 16, 1986. Jean Kotsiovos remembers it exactly: she was newly engaged, and her husband, Chris, had come to Calumet City looking at restaurant spaces. Chris and his brother Gus had immigrated from Greece at 13 and 14 years old respectively. Both were already in the restaurant business in Chicago. What they did not have was much local competition for gyros in their desired locale of Calumet City.
They also had a landlord willing to take a chance on them. “Mike Rose was our landlord when we started and we always had very, very good relations with him,” the family said. “We want to give a special thanks to Mike Rose for giving us the trust and the opportunity. We were so young and he gave us a lot of trust, guidance and support in opening the business.”
Forty years later, Nicky’s is still family-run. Their son Peter joined the business 17 years ago, learned the operation, and now runs and manages the store. “We always wanted to keep this as a family run business,” they said. Offers from chains have come in. They have turned them down.
The counter has drawn regulars from Calumet City and well beyond it: Lansing, Dolton, South Holland, Harvey, and across the state line into Indiana. Firefighters, police officers, and building department staff eat there. Some customers who moved out of state still come back. The reason they give, the family says, is simple: they still think Nicky’s has the best gyros.
That reputation is built in-house. “We make our own sauce, our own beef. We make our own Gyro Sauce. Everything is freshly made.”
The family has tried to return the support. Recently they hosted a charity day and gave away 100 backpacks filled with school supplies for students heading back to class. Monday’s anniversary is meant in the same spirit. “We are really excited to give back to the community and celebrate our 40 years and also celebrate our customers’ support and loyalty to us these past 40 years,” they said. “Calumet City has been very supportive of us with this event. They are closing the streets for us, providing security via the police, providing tents and seating. We are very thankful to them and know them all because they’re our customers.”
The party runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, October 12, at Nicky’s Gyros, 2050 Sibley Blvd., Calumet City. Kids get the bouncy houses. Longtime customers get the thanks, and a fresh gyro made the way the family has made it since 1986.
