'I don't know where I'll eat.' West Greenville cafeteria for more than 50 years closes.
Allan Clark will be forced to find a new brunch cafeteria that provides the routine and family environment of K&S Restaurant, as the longtime West Greenville diner on 3107 White Horse Road served its final meal on Feb. 29.
The closing, announced by a typed letter taped to the door, means that Clark, 82, and many others alike left with full stomachs and fond memories for one final dining experience.
"For the last 40 years, I've eaten breakfast and lunch here every day," he said. "I'm not an emotional man, but today, I'm emotional. I don't know where I'll eat next."
As the last day of dining at K&S left many saddened, owner Anastasia Mentzelopoulou, or Stacey, emotions were most visible. Mentzelopoulou continuously wiped away tears and embraced diners at the 50-plus-year establishment passed down from her father, Leo, who died in August.
She remembers her father passing out candy to crowds near downtown Greenville nearly 40 years ago, and as an ode to him, she would keep a bowl of sweets near the cash register right up to the last day of business.
"Over the last two weeks, everybody's been crying, taking pictures, and taking menus, just to remember K&S," Mentzelopoulou said. "This is a family restaurant and we've made so many friends."
Why is the West Greenville diner closing?
The family diner in a strip mall on the west side of White Horse Road never recovered from COVID-19, according to Mentzelopoulou. Even after safety restrictions were lifted, she had trouble finding consistent staffing, which also caused K&S to discontinue serving dinner.
On top of staffing and other issues, after her father's death, Mentzelopoulou had no one to help keep the kitchen, finances, and dining room in sync.
During a routine inspection in July, the Department of Health and Environment Control (DHEC) found six foundation violations and five priority violations at K&S including a misreading thermometer and improper food temperatures — all of which were corrected the next day, according to DHEC reports.
The business began to suffer because of the problems and it became apparent that it was time to let go of the family-owned diner.
"Everything became a little bit more difficult for one person to have the business after he died," Mentzelopoulou said.
Now, she is prepared to take time away from the restaurant business, retire, and travel back to Greece with Leo's sister, and her aunt, Yiota Papleacos. Before Mentzelopoulou leaves, she plans to host a party for the employees and say her goodbyes to friends of their restaurant.
"It's mixed feelings," she said. "I'm going to miss all of these people."
The popular dishes at K&S Restaurant
When K&S Restaurant ended its dinner menu in 2021, their turkey and dressing was a top seller, but not as well-regarded as the salmon patties, Mentzelopoulou said.
Leisha Olson, 62, is a third-generation diner at K&S and attests to her "usual" bacon and eggs as a longtime favorite alongside their old-fashioned, southern-style biscuits.
"My grandparents and my mom came here," Olson said. "It's been a family thing to come here for a long time."
Beyond the menu, the connections and emotion behind the neighborhood diner in K&S left both joyous and sad sentiments on Thursday morning. As plates were cleared and hugs were passed around, the simplicity and love at the West Greenville diner were felt by all.
"I went to Leo's funeral because of what this restaurant means to me," said Willie Carson, 82. "I'm going to miss this place."
– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Staffing issues, fallout from COVID pandemic hurt K&S Restaurant
