This time last year, Sydney historian, Vasilis Vasilas, would have officially launched “Little Athens: Marrickville” under the auspices of the 38th Greek Festival of Sydney; with the outbreak of COVID- 19 and its subsequent restrictions, the launch – like so many other Festival events – was postponed.

“Little Athens: Marrickville” is back for 39th Greek Festival of Sydney, and the Inner West Council Libraries and History’s Heritage Week, this year, and Vasilis is rather philosophical about the way everything has turned out for his project, “All the shutdowns, cancellations or postponements of events last year were the precautionary measures that needed to be enforced, and they were beyond anyone’s control; ironically, the postponement of my book launch provided me with the time to gather more stories and photographs, and develop the project further. As a result, the ‘Little Athens: Marrickville’ being launched at this year’s Greek Festival is different to the book that would have been launched last year.”

Asked about what makes this version of “Little Athens: Marrickville” different, Mr Vasilas explained, “As a gesture of gratitude to the Greek Festival of Sydney – for including my book launch in their program – I have printed a very limited number of books and named this version, ‘The Festival Edition’.

“There are thirty more stories included in this book – that is, two hundred more pages – and the Mayor of Inner West Council, Darcy Byrne, has also written its Foreword. And its introduction has been developed too. So, this ‘Festival Edition’ places it within the context of so much celebration happening this year that goes beyond the Festival and Heritage Week- with the naming of part of Marrickville Road ‘Little Greece’ and two hundred years since the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence.'”

READ MORE: Marrickville, returning to the ‘Little Greece’ of our memories

Defining diversity

Throughout his Agora Series, Mr Vasilas has always emphasised the diversity of Sydney’s Greek shops and business, how have the new stories in this version of “Little Athens: Marrickville” further developed his perspective?

“The more time I spend time on Marrickville, the more I realise just how so many shops and businesses represent the successful integration of the Greek community into the broader Australian society. Included in this publication is the incredible ATTIKI story; if there are rows of Greek-styled yoghurt in Australian supermarkets today, how important were the Alexopoulos family’s vision and efforts in transitioning yoghurt from an ‘alien’ Greek product to an accepted Australian one? Companies such as ATTIKI have to be recognised for their enormous contribution in broadening Greek food to the broader Australian cuisine and market.

“And what about the late Yianni Benetos, who opened Sydney’s first yeeros shop! Admittedly, the recent introduction yeeros from Greece is different from the yeeros of 1970s and 1980s, but Benetos was the pioneer who was instrumental in introducing this strange way of cooking meats on an upright rotisserie to Greeks and Australians. Yeeros now is a food recognised throughout Australia, and it goes all the way back to Benetos.”Another major point that comes up in “Little Athens: Marrickville” is the dynamism and strength of Greek business network, where the diversity of Greek shops and businesses is clearly highlighted.

READ MORE: The passion of Vasilis Vasilas: writer, school teacher and storyteller

The Crest Menswear’s Theodoros Habis (Habilomatis) serving the legendary Greek singer, Yiannis Katevas, who was touring Australia at the time. Photo: Theodoros Habis

Mr Vasilas said, “It is very easy to become sentimental and nostalgic about successful shops; in doing so, we unfortunately overlook the significant contribution of the businesses behind these shops. If Benetos was important for introducing yeeros to Sydney, who then built the upright rotisserie for him to realise his dream? The Skoufis brothers’ Olympia Refrigeration manufactured and sold the yeeros and doner kebab machines that supported the growing number of shops catering for demand for yeeros and doner kebab. We cannot recognise Benetos’ legacy without recognising the Skoufis brothers’ contribution.

“Most of Greek eateries and delicatessens in the 1970s had Olympia Refrigeration’s high-quality fridges, but people do not get nostalgic over the durability of a fridge (laughs). And Greca Signs designed everything from shop signs to menus to product labels to association logos! This does mean we should overlook the significant role companies and businesses, such as Olympia and Greca Signs, actively played in the Greek business support network.’

Mr Vasilas does emphasise this ‘Festival Edition’ is not only about the past; the Greek presence in Marrickville’s business network remains strong and dynamic, and there are so many relatively new Greek businesses and shops opening and being successful in their respective markets.

READ MORE: Marrickville: Sydney’s ‘Little Athens’ shatters every stereotype of what Greeks did

John Anastasiadis of Greca Signs in the mid 1960s. Greca Signs was the first of its kind in Sydney, as it designed the signage, menus and labels for hundreds and hundreds of Greek shops, businesses and associations. Photo: Anastasia Anastasiadis

“Marrickville’s close proximity to Sydney city will always encourage the opening of new businesses in the area, and Greeks will always be part Marrickville’s ongoing development. And so many of these relatively businesses are also promoting Greek products and cuisine: Souvlaki Boys last year won the Best Business Award for Inner West Council; Barzaari Restaurant late last year held its inaugural World Baklava Day; Fresko Gelato and Waffle House ingenuously fuses traditional Greek flavours with gelato… the Greeks are still taking our Greek products and food into the mainstream Australian society.

“And this is where Marrickville’s Greek legacy lies; Greeks still book a table at the Corinthian Rotisserie, Greeks still buy the cold meats from Danas Deli Cafe and Lamia Super Deli, Greeks still buy their sweets from Athina Cake Shop and Hellenic Patisserie and Gelato Bar, Greeks still queue up for their seafood at Faros Bros Seafood and their meats from Souvlaki Boys… But one thing has definitely changed! And that is that there so many non Greeks queuing up with them. What were once Greek delicacies and tastes are now Australian too. And Marrickville has played such an enormous role in supporting this transition and integration, as these shops and businesses are subsequently no longer Greek, but Australian.”