On February
7, 1947, the Greek-American families of John Genadopoulos and Adamantios
“Tommy” Balasis and Mary Balasis purchased the A.P. Wood Grocery. Though the store was renamed the West
Virginia Grocery, the name A.P. Wood remains etched in beautiful stained glass
over the door at present day Ya’Sou.
From that
time until the devasting flood of July 2001, the family kept the grocery in
operation. Ten months later, a second
major flood hit the town within days of the business being reopened. Despite this major setback, we were
determined to move forward and reopen the business.
Having my
own restaurant was a lifelong dream, and on February 7, 2003, with the help of
my mother Mary Balasis, my brothers John and Mathew, my husband Jimmy Joe, my
son Adam, my mother-in-law Mary Verduce Gianato and the Grace of God, that
dream became a reality with the opening of Ya’Sou Restaurant.
I am immensely
proud of the success that I have achieved.
I offer home-cooked meals, daily specials, and Greek cuisine along with many
sandwich choices. Most of the recipes I
have used have been handed down to me from my mother and grandmother. My love for the restaurant business came from
my first job at the Virginian Restaurant in Pearisburg, Virginia, working under
the guiding hands of, in my opinion, two of the greatest chefs, uncles and
mentors, Mike and George Genadopoulos.
It was my days at the Virginian that made me realize I would someday
like to become a great chef. I strive
for this every day.
This has
allowed me to meet many wonderful people who have stopped in along the way, as
well as many local regulars who come in and make my day complete. We hope to serve you for many years to come.
Everyone
that comes here, even for one time, becomes a part of the labyrinth of my life
and will always be part of the memories here.
I want my guests to feel at home and comfortable when that are
here. If you have any concerns or
requests, please feel free to ask.
---Markella