In 1997, the family took a winter ski vacation in Boone, North Carolina. During their visit, they searched far and wide for a Greek restaurant to enjoy some of their traditional tastes while away from home. They were unsuccessful in their search but on this very first visit to Boone, they fell in love with the area. After several repeat visits to Boone over the next three years, the family made the decision that they would like to call Boone their home and did so in November of 2000.

In March of 2001, the Lainas family reopened Mr. Original Gyros offering authentic Greek dishes that originated in Greece that Mrs. Lainas has been preparing for her family for years. Her son Harry developed a love for cooking from an early age and continued with his family’s tradition at Mr. Original Gyros. You will still find Mr. & Mrs. Lainas in the kitchen preparing those Greek dishes with much enthusiasm.

In March of 2009, Mr. Original Gyros moved down and across Highway 105 in Boone. The new restaurant still offers the original authentic Greek meals but now has even more daily choices. Towering scenes of Greece on the walls and Greek statues give the new restaurant an artistic Greek flare. The Lainas family’s vision of providing a taste of Greece has become a popular eating destination for many locals and continues to grow in popularity. Today, the restaurant’s motto is “Once A Week Go Greek”