New Greek restaurant to open in Horizon West Bay, Largo.

In Largo, Florida, city officials previously raised concerns regarding the leasing status of the substantial 18,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space within the Horizon West Bay development. This ambitious million mixed-use project, which will feature a new Largo City Hall, is anticipated to open later this year.

Concerns about the absence of tenants were addressed last summer by representatives from Colliers International, the commercial real estate brokerage managing the property. They assured city leaders that it is common for tenants to finalize leases closer to the project’s completion.

Now, approximately ten months later, this prediction appears to be materializing. The city has recently signed a 10-year lease agreement with Louis Pappas Fresh Greek Restaurant, marking a significant step forward for the Horizon development. This is complemented by Parlor Doughnuts, which secured the first lease for the facility in September.

According to Charles Stanton, the operations manager for the Horizon project, Colliers International has collaborated closely with city officials to finalize the lease with Louis Pappas Fresh Greek. The restaurant is slated to occupy approximately 1,431 square feet within the new City Hall structure, located at the intersection of West Bay Drive and Fourth Street Southwest. The lease’s initial term spans 10 years and includes two additional five-year renewal options.

The Pappas family’s storied history in the restaurant business traces back to 1904 when Louis M. Pappamichalopoulos immigrated to the United States from Greece. His culinary journey began while he served as a chef during World War I, where he created a distinctive Greek salad—a dish that would garner international acclaim. In 1925, he established the original Louis Pappas Riverside Café in Tarpon Springs, earning a reputation for his signature Greek salad.

Now operating in its third generation, the Pappas family oversees six Louis Pappas Fresh Greek locations throughout the Tampa Bay area, with the Largo venue poised to become the seventh. During a recent City Commission meeting, discussions arose about the Pappas family’s former restaurant at the Sponge Docks, which shut down in 2005 due to high operational costs.

Despite past challenges, Stanton indicated that the same management behind the original establishment will now run this new venture, maintaining a similar menu to what patrons enjoyed previously.

The lease agreement passed unanimously within the City Commission, with Commissioner Donna Holck absent from the vote. As the Horizon West Bay development continues to progress, community interest grows around its potential impact on Largo’s dining and retail landscape. Media News Source.