Connie and Tom Gekas, owners of Patio Grill in Sanford, are retiring after 31 years of service and the property was sold to a new buyer.
The family-owned restaurant opened in 1992 in Longwood. At that time, Connie was a server and Tom was a chef at Patio Grill. In 1998, Tom bought the restaurant from its owners and continue the business.
“We knew it was a good deal,” said Tom. “It was a good business, and we already knew the clientele.”
The Patio Grill in Longwood and Sanford were briefly opened at the same time under the Gekas. The Sanford location opened in 2009, and the Longwood location closed in 2010.
“A lot of our clientele followed us from Longwood to the Sanford location,” Connie said. “It’s always been the people who kept us motivated.”
“We’ll definitely miss the people, our customers,” Tom said. “Everyone knew the place.”
Years ago, when SunTrust opened a location in Longwood, Connie and Tom were in the car as a commercial for the bank played.
“The commercial said the SunTrust was located right next to Patio Grill. We thought that was pretty cool,” said Connie. “We were like a landmark, and it made us smile.”
Tom said that the Patio Grill in Sanford is a little more attached to them compared to the Longwood location.
“We bought something that was almost condemned. We redesigned it and put it in business ourselves,” Tom said. “That was a great achievement that will stay with us for a long time.”
When the Gekas worked at the Patio Grill in Longwood, they were raising their children, but later their children grew into the family business.
“In Sanford, our children worked with us for quite some time. So, that was more of a bonding element there too,” Connie said.
Mary Lear has been a server at Patio Grill since 1998. She moved to the Sanford Patio Grill location in 2010 after the Longwood location closed. Tom said she’s the best employee they’ve ever had.
“She’s an icon,” Tom said. “She was the most sought-after server that we had for large parties.”
Lear said she stayed so long because she liked working for the Gekas and because Patio Grill had good food and nice customers.
Connie recalls as the restaurant was about to close one of the last nights it was open, there were ladies sitting in a booth who were in tears and almost couldn’t leave.
“We are always going to remember the people. We met a lot of great people. Everyone was so helpful and so great we have some great memories,” she said.
“We are trying to figure that one out,” laughed Tom, when asked what they look forward to during retirement.
Connie said she’s looking forward to having more freedom for the couple to travel.
The couple jokingly said they will still cook for their family because their children and grandchildren expect it, they will just cook in smaller proportions.
breasbuzz.com 