The Market is one of the brightest new business spots in downtown Huntington, and as soon as Wednesday, it will feature its very own authentic Greek restaurant called Navarino Bay. The Market is already home to several new businesses and locations, including the famed Austin’s Ice Cream, which is already a highly popular destination.

Huntington does not have its own authentic Greek restaurant, but it is home to the popular Greekfest, an annual festival celebrating Greek heritage. This past year’s Greekfest was actually when Navarino Bay owner Yiorgie Alexandropoulos announced that he would be opening the restaurant downtown.

Since then, he and many others have been hard at work turning Alexandropoulos’s dream into a reality.

“It was a long time coming,” Alexandropoulos said. “I’ve been planning this for years, and it’s crazy that we’ve come so far. I couldn’t be more excited for us to open.”

Navarino Bay plans on opening Wednesday, Alexandropoulos said. The original plan was for the restaurant to open in December of 2017, but different delays and complications pushed the opening back until March.

The restaurant will join Austin’s as one of the first new stores to open in The Market. A create-your-own pizza restaurant called The Market Fuel Counter also has plans to open soon within the new facility.

The Market is predicted to bring new jobs and some new business to the downtown area of Huntington. The Market replaced several old bars which were combined in the building previously. Since then, almost all of the inner workings of the building have been torn down and replaced with new spaces for restaurants and businesses.

“It’s exciting to be a part of this sort of revival here in The Market,” Alexandropoulos said. “Just being a part of something so new and fresh is just such a good feeling.”

Alexandropoulos said Navarino Bay promises to bring true Greek flavor to downtown Huntington and show its citizens what good Greek food is all about, all year long.

Zach Stevens can be contacted at [email protected].