‘We’re adaptable’: Libertyville brothers shift focus to acai bowls, their third food-related venture in seven years

First it was Chrissoulas then West Side Ramen, but the two brothers behind those restaurants in downtown Libertyville recently left their familiar corner to open a completely different venture in Vernon Hills, and soon in Lake Geneva.

Hometown brothers and trained chefs Nick and Theo Dimitriou opened Chrissoulas, with reimagined Mediterranean dishes, at 602 N. Milwaukee Ave., in 2018.

As of last Nov. 1, the full-time menu shifted to the versatile Japanese noodles introduced out of necessity as a pop-up during the coronavirus pandemic.

But the final night for West Side Ramen, named as an inside joke of their location on the northeast corner of Milwaukee Avenue and School Street, was May 31.

Business was good, but because of unspecified issues with the landlord, the brothers opted not to renew the lease.

By that time, Teeko's Acai Bowls already had been humming along for about two months in an 800-square-foot space at 1220 E. Route 45 in the Vernon Hills Town Center complex, routes 21 and 45.

The acai bowl concept is the brothers’ path to shifting operations “with less headaches than running a full service restaurant,” said Nick Dimitriou.

“It's easier to run and easier to get up and running,” he said. “Not so many late nights.”

Patrons for the 100% organic soft-serve acai creations include students from the nearby College of Lake County Southlake campus as well as Stevenson and Vernon Hills high schools.

The bowl of the month, “Stars and Stripes,” debuted Tuesday featuring organic acai topped with gluten- and nut-free granola, fresh berries, coconut oil, homemade berry puree and white chocolate chips.

Business in Vernon Hills has been phenomenal, according to Nick Dimitriou, so it was a good time to pivot.

“We just signed a lease to do a second one (acai bowl location) in Lake Geneva so we're full steam ahead,” he said.

The Chrissoulas business isn’t defunct per se, and the brothers may open another full-service restaurant in the future. But the current plan is to open multiple Teeko locations in different towns before the end of 2026, he added.

“We’re adaptable,” Dimitriou said. “We’ll figure it out.”