By: Pari Apostolakos

It can be said that olive oil runs through Loui Liagridonis’ veins. A first-generation Greek-American, his ancestors used to make olive oil in their village. Now, he brings the family business directly to the Champaign-Urbana community with a specialty imported olive oil, vinegar and food shop called Grovestone. The oil is made from the olives that grow on the same trees his late grandparents planted all those years ago. 

“It’d be pretty neat if they knew that the oil made it across the world,” Liagridonis said, reminiscing about his grandparents. “I think everything I’ve done in my life led me to this.”

His business was inspired by childhood summers spent under the Mediterranean sun in the groves with his whole family. To Liagridonis, these are more than just trees in a field. 

“These are the same olive trees I used to play in as a kid,” he said. “We grew up in those fields.”

Liagridonis’ family tree has roots in Achladokampos, Greece, which was first inhabited in 720 B.C. The town is located in the Peloponnese region of the country, with a current population of 654 people. It is mainly occupied with olive cultivation and cattle breeding. 

“My mother says we’ve been in that village as far as we can trace back,” Liagridonis said. 

The olive oil business isn’t the only thing handed down through Liagridonis’ family, he also got the entrepreneurial spirit. His mom inspired him to be his own boss from a young age. 

“My mother’s always been an entrepreneur. She had a cleaning business,” he said. However, he acknowledges that running a business isn’t meant for everyone. “It takes a special person to be an entrepreneur … those genes were passed down.” 

After moving to Champaign from the western suburbs of Chicago to be closer to his wife’s family and running a UPS store and a document shredding company, Liagridonis set out to make the dream of sharing his family product with the world come true, which isn’t to say that it happened right away.

“The whole process took a good two years,” he said. “I wasn’t moving anywhere [else and] there are foodies here in Champaign … it’s a great business community with a lot of stability.”

The fruit of his labor, Grovestone, doesn’t just focus on olive oil. Although they carry various flavors of olive oil like bacon, blood orange and chocolate, they also carry flavored Italian balsamic vinegars like espresso, maple and pomegranate. One can also find imported Mediterranean snack foods, ice cream shipped from Wisconsin, wine, desserts and locally sourced products.  

“Being in central Illinois, most people didn’t know what to do with olive oil, or about the health benefits,” Liagridonis said. So he set out to educate them. 

He invited people into the store in order to gain hands-on experience cooking with olive oil.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Grovestone offered cooking classes led by local chefs. Using the store’s products, they would create a five course menu. At the time, these classes accounted for 35% of Grovestone’s revenue. However, since grocery sales went up during lockdown, Liagridonis said Grovestone still had a record-breaking year by increasing their wholesale accounts and selling their products in various grocery stores and online.

Sam Erickson, Grovestone employee, hails from Minnesota. He had never come across a store like Grovestone before he started his job. 

“[I was most surprised to see] the amount of effort that goes into sourcing the products … even the ice cream,” Erickson said. 

After buying olive oil from Grovestone, customers can bring back their empty bottles and have them refilled in store. Sustainability and reusable items are another old Greek tradition Liagridonis has incorporated into his business. 

“That’s how they lived back in the village,” Liagridonis said. 

He plans to one day leave the olive groves in Greece to his children so they can possibly continue the legacy started by their great grandparents. 

Despite his successes thus far, Liagridonis doesn’t claim to have all the answers. Still, he has no regrets.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes,” he said. “There’s no better learning tool.

Liagridonis looks forward to continuing to share these cherished traditions with the Champaign-Urbana community and beyond. 

“This is a piece of our family,” he said.

Illustration by Pari Apostolakos