Restauranteur bringing love of Greek food to Clinton

By Randy Bell

     Drew Creel grew up in Greece, moving there from Africa with his missionary parents when he was twelve years old.  And when he returned to the U.S. years later, he brought with him memories of the gyros and other Greek food he had enjoyed.  That led to the opening of his first Krilakis restaurant fifteen years ago in Byram, before moving to Ridgeland in 2011.  Soon, Creel will have a second location in Clinton.

     The Board of Aldermen, at its meeting on October 15, approved a certificate of appropriateness for the renovation of a building at 312 Jefferson Street in Olde Towne to house the restaurant, which is expected to open in December.

     Creel says putting his restaurant in the city’s historic district a short walk from Mississippi College makes sense from a business perspective.

     “Young people love our food,” he says.  “Mediterranean, Greek food is very popular among the young people.”

     Even before he moved his original restaurant to Ridgeland, he considered locating in Clinton near the college.

     “It was always a thought of mine, you know, that would be great place to put a second [restaurant].”

     The other selling point was the ambiance of Olde Towne.

     “Activities all the time, movie nights, different things that they do.  I felt like it would be a great fit,” Creel says.  “That’s where we wanted to be.  There were other areas available [in Clinton], but we weren’t interested in them.”

     The Krilakis restaurant in Ridgeland is located in that city’s historic district.

     “It’s not the same as Olde Towne Clinton, [but] it’s still wonderful,” Creel says. “We’ve developed a great business there, and the community there and in surrounding areas have welcomed us, and we’ve had nothing but a positive experience there.”

     It’s a restaurant concept that could soon be franchised in other parts of Mississippi, including the college towns of Starkville, Oxford and Hattiesburg; but, regardless of where he goes, Creel wants to plug into those communities.

     “Obviously, you’re there to make some money,” he says, “but [also] giving back to the communities, working with the communities, becoming somebody that the community not only visits but can count on to help them when they have fundraisers and things like that.”

     The Clinton restaurant will also create jobs for local young people.  Creel told the Board on October 15 that he had already hired seventeen Mississippi College and Clinton High School students.

     The name of the restaurant carries special significance.

     Creel says, while serving in Greece, his missionary father was nicknamed “Creel-lakis” and that name, with a spelling change, was borrowed for the restaurant.

     “So, it’s a play off our last name,” Creel says.  “And now my dad has passed, so it means even more to us.”