BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Serving up everything from chicken and waffles to cappuccinos and burgers since 2000.
Billy’s Downtown Diner owner Billy Kounoupis said it all started with one goal.
“The only thing I wanted to do was literally feed my family,” said Kounoupis.
The diner with Easton and Bethlehem locations is growing beyond its Lehigh Valley roots, now franchising across the country.
“People started saying to us wow this place is really, really great, do you have any other locations?” said Kounoupis.
After being encouraged to franchise, Kounoupis said Billy’s signed its first franchisee, 10 locations including in Indiana with the first location set to open around the end of summer.
“We’ve had people who’ve come in from Texas, from California, most recently Indiana and they fell in love with the concept and they’re like Indiana could really use this. This is very unique, very special, very community driven,” said Kounoupis.
And it is not stopping there.
“Now, we are in talks with Austin, Texas, Houston and Florida,” said Kounoupis.
A business known as “not your ordinary diner” that all started right here in the Lehigh Valley and only growing with what Kounoupis said is a bright future ahead.
“Hopefully a lot of fun, a lot of growth and more importantly continually growing and being a part of our community that has given us such an amazing opportunity to expand on the national level,” said Kounoupis.