Greek immigrants came to Chicago in droves in the early 1900s, and most of them made immediate contributions to the city.
Greek men grew up learning that they'd need to own and operate their own businesses to be successful. As a result, most of them were tough, individualistic and hard working.
The fact that they were raised in poor and remote mountain villages, where mere survival was considered an accomplishment, contributed to their character, personality, and individualism.
When a shop owner was asked why he was successful, he replied, "Just hard work-that's all. Nobody can move you, no matter how strong they are."
He was among the Greeks who worked and struggled to open up their own businesses, with names like The Petropulos Range Co., the Collias and Menegas Restaurant, and Rusetos and Company Ice Cream. Other company names were based on Greek cities or mythological and historical characters.
Celebrate the history of a hardworking people, and learn lessons about business and life by studying The Entrepreneurial Spirit of the Greek Immigrant in Chicago, Illinois: 1900-1930.