When you consider one in six businesses fail in their first five years, longevity is something to be awarded.

That’s the purpose of the Melbourne Lord Mayor’s commendations, to acknowledge the commitment and contribution independent small business owners have had to the City of Melbourne municipality.

Six Greek Australian business owners from a number of industries have been named in the mayor’s commendations this year, with special mention going to late night souvlaki restaurant Stalactites.

The Kostandakopoulos family, owners and operators of the 24 hour business on Lonsdale Street, were one of two families named in the Generational recipients category.

The restaurant opened in 1978, and has operated continuously, seven days a week, for 34 years.

Currently managed by a third generation Konstandakopoulos, the restaurant serves more than 7,000 customers a week who consume a whopping six tonnes of meat.

Always popular with the commendations every year, the Queen Victoria Market wasn’t short of nods, with Shear Wool proprietor Xenia Charalambous taking out a silver award, and husband and wife duo Peter and Michelle Kalegeratos, from the stall The Breadbox, taking out a bronze prize.

The Kalogeratos duo quit their job at Crown Casino to take on their uncle’s bread shop in 2001, and deal with 13 different bakers on a daily basis to stock their stall.

Ms Charalambous has been selling shear wool products at the market for 35 years after coming to Australia as a refugee from Cyprus.

The business has grown from a weekend job to a full time job for Xenia, who was able to support her growing family.

Prestige car mechanic and salesman Lee Tambouras was also counted in the silver category, being part of Triple S Motors for 27 years.

He’s never advertised and has relied on word of mouth to keep his business alive.

New to the list is bronze recipient Vivian Dourali. Her clothing boutique, Eimai, located in Carlton, has catered to fashionable ladies over 40 for 12 years.

Dourali is a fourth generation dressmaker and learnt how to sew at the age of six from her mother, who worked as a machinist after migrating to Australia.

She works seven days a week at her shop “happily” because she loves what she does.

The recipients were awarded in a special ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall on October 1, with Lord Mayor Robert Doyle giving them a commemorative booklet containing their biographies and photographs.

Each year the recipients are featured in a photographic exhibition at the Block Arcade on Collins Street.