Very sad to share the news of the passing of Alki, of Alkis Acropolis, one of the true patrons of Westcott st. . . . Alki was a huge part of what made Westcott st. special. His place was a hub for many and a number of folks started their successful careers in the restaurant biz, working for Alki. Alki was a hard working, generous, kind, funny, son of gun, He took care of everybody he could, including selling us beers out the back door, after hours, when we would get done gigs, late and have no beers for the after hours hang. He never gouged us, though he could have and we would have happily paid him and come back for more, saying please and thank you. He was really the pivot point of Westcott st. businesses turning the corner to better days. He was there through thick and thin. I first met Munjed Essi when he worked for Alki and some of us knew him as Mike He now owns seemingly, half the block and has invested heavily in the neighborhood, as has some of his family, to the vast benefit of the area. Alki could have viewed an employee opening a business making Middle Eastern food as unwelcome competition, after all he was selling Greek food and they are quite similar but that was not Alkis style. He was a supporter, a friend and a mentor, to many. I had to shake my head and laugh when another business owner in the area was lauded in the local media for his impact on Westcott st., which was not the whole story for those of us who actually lived there. The guy had collected a settlement for an injury he incurred while working, during a prison sentence for an arson fire at a competitors business. He opened a convenience store on Westcott st., which was busted for selling stolen goods off the shelves and also employed violent cowardly, punks, among other less than neighborly activities, yet, he was the guy that got a glowing write up, for investing in the neighborhood, which he did but not without all his accompanying bullshit. . . Down the other end of the block, there was Alki, employing kids from the neighborhood and giving them an opportunity to truly grow and learn. He never sought accolades and or attention, he just went to work, made people food and in my experience, did what he could to help people. He was a funny dude and always had time to share a laugh or a wise crack in his sometimes, indecipherable, greek accent. Very sad to hear of Alkis passing but very glad to have known him. He was the real deal and Im thankful for his impact on my neighborhood and life. Rest easy, Alki. Thanks CA
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 01:44:42 +0000
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