Iconic Restaurant Name Is Center Of Lawsuit

FARMINGTON HILLS (WWJ) - It's a battle over the name of an iconic restaurant that closed in Greektown about six years ago.

WWJ's Sandra McNeill reports that the grandson of the former owner, Gus Anton, has filed a lawsuit claiming the owners of New Hellas Greek restaurant have no right to use the name.

Hellas restaurant in Greektown closed in 2008 after a 107 year run, and last year two men with ties to that restaurant opened a restaurant called New Hellas in Farmington Hills.

Tony, a partner in the new venture, is a former waiter from the Greektown restaurant:

"When we apply for the name, they didn't say nothing," says Tony, noting that business has been 'very good.'

He and Demetrios (Jimmy) Papatriantaflyllou, who was the chef at the Greektown Hellas, opened their restaurant last August.

Papatriantaflyllou was a former partner at the Greektown location: "We should appreciate because we honor New Hellas, my partner too, he's passed way so he would be so glad so we use the name New  Hellas."