FRASER, Mich. (WXYZ) — An 80-year-old restaurant owner who feared her dream could come to an end is now seeing an outpouring of community support after a story about her struggle reached more than 900,000 people on Facebook.
Watch Peter Maxwell's video report:
Mama K's in Fraser ran out of food Tuesday as customers from across Metro Detroit showed up in droves to support owner Lamprini Karavidas. Customers were still arriving Wednesday.
Lazarous Karavidas, co-owner of Mama K's, described the response.
"Nonstop. Nonstop busy. It started early in the morning and didn't stop until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon," Lazarous Karavidas said.
Lamprini Karavidas said the rush of support left her exhausted but grateful.
"They all came yesterday and today, and I am tired. I am going like this, but I thank you!" Karavidas said.
The restaurant had to close early Tuesday because of the overwhelming turnout.
"We ran out of food. I was so tired. My son said we don't have any gyro, we don't have shish kabab, spinach pie, moussaka, soups, we ran out of everything," Karavidas said.
Just 48 hours before the surge, Karavidas had shared her concerns about slow business. She opened Mama K's in Fraser in February, chasing a dream later in life. But a lack of customers left her and her son wondering how long they could keep the restaurant going.
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First-time customer Khari Strickland saw the story and decided to act.
"So, when I saw this literally, I just screen-shotted and said this is right by my house, so I am going to come support something local," Strickland said.
Strickland arrived to find the restaurant had already sold out.
"We saw the sign saying, ' Sorry, sold out," Strickland said.
New customers arrived from Fraser and across Metro Detroit to support Karavidas' dream. Brooke Nosek was among them.
"She's amazing, like I don't know if she's ever going to stop. She has more energy than all of us put together," Nosek said.
Dianne Thompson also made the trip after seeing the story.
"I saw your article, and I go, ' Oh my god, I said, I've got to go see Laz and his Mama," Thompson said.
Beth Meyer said Karavidas's story inspired her.
"I think it's amazing that somebody in her 80s had this wish and she followed through, and I think more power to her," Meyer said.
For Karavidas, the full tables mean more than sales.
"I can't express my appreciation to you and to the people," Karavidas said.
Karavidas knows a couple of busy days won't solve everything. She hopes first-time customers enjoy the food and return. New customer Michele McGlaun said the food speaks for itself.
"It is delicious," McGlaun said.
When asked if she would be coming back, McGlaun did not hesitate.
"Oh, absolutely," McGlaun said.
Karavidas expressed her gratitude to everyone who came out and to the team that told her story.
"Thank you to all of you at Channel 7 and you especially," Karavidas said.
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