In Savannah, Georgia, Olympia Cafe is a popular spot for both tourists and residents on the famous River Street, but it’s currently missing a well-known figure.
Nick Pappas, who co-owned the cafe, unexpectedly passed away last month at the age of 80. Weeks later, sat down with his fellow co-owner, Vasilis Varlagas, and the cafe’s manager, Frances Krieg, to see how they were coping with the loss. They expressed that it’s difficult to accept his absence.
“Mr. Pappas was working until the day before died. I have a lot of respect for this,” Varlagas said.
It was Nick’s character that made Varlagas want to partner with him.
“He was a very good man, very smart businessman,” Varlagas said.
Together they created Olympic Cafe, later renamed Olympia Cafe, in 1992. They have called Savannah “home” since.
Varlagas reminisced about their modest beginnings. Together, they took a gamble by starting the business when Savannah hadn’t yet become a major tourist spot. As the city’s popularity expanded, so did their venture, forming a close-knit community within the cafe.
Krieg described the moment she met Nick, “I was 17, and I was roller skating down River Street. Mr. Nick was outside with the calamari. He asked me for a sample, and I took one. And then he said, ‘how about a job?’ I said, ‘okay.'”
She’s been here ever since. She said their relationship was more like a father and daughter.
“My first impression of Nick was awe, because he was such a larger than life character. Mostly, it was the feeling of being able to learn something. He was a great teacher,” Krieg said. “He made people feel a certain way. You couldn’t put it into words, but you knew it when you were here.”
Neighboring businesses also felt the weight of his passing. Nick’s work shirt is now hanging on the wall, covered in signatures and messages from those neighbors. The entire building is a museum of his life.
“When you know somebody for almost 40 years. To lose them, no matter how old, it’s very hard for me. It’s very hard,” Varlagas said. “I’m here at the Olympia Cafe to be strong. The cafe is strong like a human.”
Krieg said, “That’s right. It has a heartbeat.”
