At 44, Johnny Giavos reflects on his life and accomplishments thus far, and wouldn’t change much at all. Maybe he would have built a bigger kitchen at Kitchen 64 or traveled a bit more. But nothing of real consequence.

And that includes showing up three hours late to his engagement party.

Giavos, a diehard soccer — ahem, football — fan, never thought his club team would have made it to the finals the day of his engagement party years ago, an assessment that turned out to be a gross underestimate of his team’s ability and a major setback in his big evening plans. After several victorious games, he rushed home, gussied up and eventually greeted his 200 guests three hours into the festivities — painfully sun burnt and sporting the unmistakable, ear-to-ear grin of a champion.

“If I could still play that well today, I think I would do it again,” Giavos said jovially.

Giavos, who turned down soccer scholarships in favor of helping his parents run their restaurant, has played on a club soccer team, the Fan Rats, since 1983. In fact, he proudly displays a Fan Rats bumper sticker on his 20-year-old, beige Toyota Land Cruiser, along with a colorful array of restaurant stickers. Most fan residents recognize Giavos’ vehicle, even if they haven’t yet met him.

But it’s not soccer he’s best known for in Richmond. He and Katrina Dikos Giavos, his wife of 25 years (in spite of that little engagement party incident, says Giavos, thank goodness) have together built a veritable restaurant and real estate empire in the fan and now spilling beyond.

Currently, Giavos is the genius behind Sidewalk Café, Kuba Kuba, 3 Monkeys, Kitchen 64 and, his newest venture, Gibson’s Grill. Sidewalk was the first restaurant he fashioned from scratch on his own, and has been going strong since April Fool’s Day, 1990.

Add to those five major successes an ever-growing list of properties he owns, including the Sticky Rice building, Helen’s and 3 Monkeys buildings, Gus’s Bar and Grill (formerly Out of Bounds, where his sister, Josephine, is now opening up shop), the Table 9 building, The Border Chophouse & Bar building and several rental properties peppered throughout the fan.

That’s not to mention the prestigious list of restaurants he’s been associated with in the past, including Bandito’s Burrito Lounge and Ernesto’s Creperie.

Then there’s the network of industry professionals who have graduated from the prestigious Giavos School.

“Half of the restaurant people in Richmond I’ve trained one way or another,” Giavos said. “It’s the truth. Between me and Michelle [Williams], so many people have started out working at one of our restaurants.”

It’s safe to say Giavos has had a major impact on the Richmond restaurant scene — and to the benefit of the residents. His vision is inexpensive, quality food in a fun and laid-back atmosphere, and the community has embraced it.

The restaurant industry is in Giavos’ blood. His parents owned and operated Athens in the fan, and Giavos spent years helping out as a teenager. And Katrina’s family knows the business, too; her mother ran the show at her namesake restaurant, Stella’s.

The couple met one day when Katrina and her mother ate at Athens while Giavos was on the job.

“I joke that she was coming in to scope out ideas for her restaurant,” he laughed.

As it turned out, there was no need to filch secrets, as the two joined forces and set out on a path to create their own restaurants and, more importantly to them, their own family.
Giavos is an honest and true family man, and it is evident in everything he does. He and Katrina live together in the fan with their three dogs and two children, although their son, Constantine, will be heading off to Parson in New York City soon.

Daughter Stella Maria, 15, is now at Appomattox Governor’s School, following in her brother’s footsteps. As for Dad, he has dedicated himself to that school, having coached his son’s soccer team to a championship. He is, once again, coaching the boys soccer team and now the girls volleyball team as well — in all of his spare time.

Java With Giavos:  Brick gets candid with the fans well-known restaurateur

Brick: Where were you born?
Giavos: I was actually born in Brussels, Belgium, although my family is Greek. When I was a teenager, my parents moved the family back to Greece. So I spoke Greek, French and English growing up, but I’ve lost most of the French.

Brick: When did you move to the states?
Giavos: Originally, we moved to the Hopewell area in 1970, and then we moved back to the states again permanently in 1981. My parents ran one of the cottages at St. Joseph’s Villa when it was an orphanage. I tell people I grew up in an orphanage, and they don’t believe me. I really did, just with my parents.

Brick: If you hadn’t gone into the restaurant business, what would you have done?
Giavos: I would have done something with kids. Probably not teaching, but coaching or working for a community center. Kids, to me, are easy. It’s adults that are hard.

Brick: What’s the most rewarding aspect of what you do?
Giavos: The people you meet. The families.

Brick: And what’s the worse aspect?
Giavos: Babysitting. Fixing things, the phone calls. People don’t even realize. You get phone calls at 2 a.m. In fact, I have to miss Easter with my family because we need to close down Monkeys to do some cleaning and maintenance. We figure people will be tired from Strawberry Hill. Sunday’s Easter. It’s just the best time to do it. That’s the responsibility that I accepted. Also, I’m not good at firing people. But you just have to do it.

Brick: Are you feeling the affects of this economic slump?
Giavos: Actually, it was worse a year ago. It’s okay today. But last year, everything skyrocketed, from food to paper goods to cleaning supplies. Today we’re actually doing great.

Brick: What do most people not know about you?
Giavos: I don’t like to be the center of attention. I’m better one on one, five on five, in small groups. Everyone thinks I’m good in crowds. I think I’ve just hid it better than most.

Brick: So what do you think of Richmond?
Giavos: I love Richmond. It’s my home. It’s easy, clean (for what it is) and the people are great. And it’s easy to get around, if you know a little bit about the layout. People from other cities have enlightened Richmond, too, bringing in different food and music.

Brick: Is there anything you’d change about your home city?
Giavos: If there’s one thing Richmond does wrong, we’ve gotten into the habit of building things and then abandoning them. Sixth Street Marketplace, Willow Lawn, Regency Square, the Ballpark, Arthur Ash Center. That’s just a few off the opt of my head. Also, Richmond is complaint driven. It’s not a problem until someone complains about it. And if just one person complains, then there’s obviously something wrong.

Brick: What advice do you have for other restaurateurs?
Giavos: Correct the things that are wrong. Think long term. You’re going to be here a while. My vision is not today. It’s ten years from now. Serve a product you would like. Act like you’re hooking up your mom or your girlfriend or someone.

Brick: What do you think people are looking for in a restaurant these days?
Giavos: People are over getting screwed to eat. They really are! When my family goes out to eat, I judge the experience based on what I paid for it. Maybe the food was good, but was it worth $25? And I’d rather they take a little extra time and get it done right than get it done fast and have it come out no good.

Brick: How would your employees describe you?
Giavos: Hmm….I think they’d say, “He’s funny. And he’s a clean-freak. He’s anal about cleaning.” It doesn’t matter now busy we are. We will stop and clean if the kitchen is getting crazy. And they’d say, “He screams a lot.” Not angry screaming. Just loud.