p. The College Delly will not be sold to Starbucks.
p. Many students feared that the local eatery would be out of business this fall due to reports last year that the owner was close to reaching an agreement with the national coffee chain.
p. The Delly, though, has been sold to Jerry Tsitsidopoulous, who plans to retain the College Delly name and food. Tsitsidopoulous is the owner of Jerry’s Painting, also in Williamsburg.
p. Dean Tsamouras, the Delly’s former owner, sold the name, inventory and furnishings to Tsitsidopoulous on Aug. 13. Tsamouras will still own the land and building.
p. He told the Daily Press that he was glad to sell the Delly to a local man who has a family and is involved in the Williamsburg community.
p. “I think the Delly is a family business,” Tsamouras said in an interview with the Daily Press. “I’m happy, so happy… because I want it to go on.”
p. Tsitsidopoulous decided to buy the Delly about a month ago and plans to continue running it as a family business.
p. “I have four sons, all raised in Williamsburg, and it would be a great place for them to work someday,” Tsitsidopoulous said.
p. As far as the future of the Delly, Tsitsidopoulous plans to make minimal changes, mostly dealing with the appearance of the building. He is going to put money toward painting both the outside and the inside, as well as landscaping and getting new awnings. The menu will not be changed at all.
p. This arrangement should appease the multitudes of students who protested the sale of the Delly to Starbucks. The Student Assembly passed a “Defense of Night Life” act that opposed the deal, and many students joined anti-Starbucks Facebook groups.
p. “I want to have more specials for college students and themed nights [like hookah nights] on Wednesdays and other days too,” Tsitsidopulous said. “I want the college kids to come here and just eat and drink and have fun.”
