CHICAGO – Louie Alexakis has made the Avli Greek restaurant brand notable in Chicago and after opening a second said he decided to keep it going and expand in and around the city because “this was not just going to be a two-unit business.”

He told Crain’s Chicago Business that decision five years ago “came from the original passion of just wanting to expose good Greek food to people who maybe just stay in their own neighborhood or have their favorite areas.”

Growth caused him, he said, building on the success of the originals, to add more. “We’re always going to put our heart and soul in it, and the moment that I can’t because I’m either too old or too tired, I hope to have that next generation ready to take over,” he also said.

Avli hopes to open two spots in Fulton Market by spring in 2024 and said, “we want to develop an Avli that specializes in shareables and small plates. Think of it as Greek tapas … this is how people eat in Greece. We all share our food at the table. This is what we’re doing there.”