Don’t let the size fool you. On the corner of a little string of stores on Maple Street sits a gem waiting to be re-discovered. The Greek Corner: The Authentic Cultural Eating Place celebrated its one year anniversary on April 1. If you haven’t been already, you are missing out on the only authentic Greek eatery around. Within walking distance from campus, The Greek Corner offers an authentic Greek cuisine any eclectic palate will appreciate. From famous gyros to lasagna to cheese ravioli to baklava, the restaurant has an extensive Greek menu that offers customers an alternative to a hamburger or taco.
“We are a Greek restaurant, but we have something for everybody,” said Mary Alice, owner of The Greek Corner. “Our menu is mostly Greek dishes, but we also offer some menus items customers may be more familiar with. We have some vegetarian options, hamburgers, chicken tenders and even fish—all served with a side of fries, of course.”
No matter what you’re craving, The Greek Corner has something to satisfy your hunger. The menu’s prices rival those of nearby eating-places. With the average meal pricing around five to seven dollars, Alice says The Greek Corner “offers a great authentic Greek meal at a low price.”
The restaurant cooks everything made-to-order with fresh ingredients that are bought each morning. When you visit the restaurant, you can’t help but notice the pavilion area that provides customers a place they can sit outside and enjoy their meals, or they come inside to eat and watch the big game on the flat screen television. Open six days a week Mon. through Sat. from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., the restaurant is available for gatherings, parties and they can provide catering for nearly any event.
At its heart is a strong team of employees. The Greek Corner staff is what makes the restaurant thrive. They are what make it so inviting and gives it its welcoming, friendly vibe. The Greek spot is only staffed with six employees and has a tendency to favor college students when hiring. Alice says she is looking to “hire more University of West Georgia students as servers and drivers”.
Alice, a college graduate and software engineer, knows how hard it can be making your way through school and she wants to help students in any way possible.
“I want to invest in the students,” said Alice. “If a student is hired here, I want them to learn while they work. If a student is going to school to work in business management, then you work as restaurant manager for a few days. If we get a marketing student, they can work with me marketing for the restaurant.”
Learning while you work is an excellent way to gain experience and make some money simultaneously. At the anniversary celebration, the Greek restaurant unveiled its art corner. Every month The Greek Corner will showcase different paintings and artwork created by University of West Georgia art students. For the month of April, the lobby walls are lined with art by University of West Georgia art major and Greek Corner employee, Evey Sweeney. Students can visit the restaurant and submit a request for their work to be on display, and, if they want, it can be for sale.
“We’re excited to be able to support the students and what they love to do,” said Miranda Casida, a member of The Greek Corner team. “I’ve watched the community growing around us, and as more restaurants are being built all on this street, you have to notice how none of them serve menus like ours and none are doing what we are doing for the students and the community.”
