From Site Selection To Design, Lloyd Helps Longtime Local Restaurant Grow
When Nick’s Gyros decided the time was right for a second Sioux Falls location, it took one relationship to help guide everything from site selection to design to construction: Lloyd Companies.
Owner Kosta Sengos is the second-generation leader of the family business his father, Nick, founded in 1982. The original Nick’s Gyros has been a Sioux Falls favorite for decades, building a loyal following around its signature sandwiches and familiar west-side location.
The new restaurant at 3501 E. 10th St. provided an opportunity to build on that history while positioning the business for its next chapter.
“We took a big risk, but it’s paying off,” Sengos said. “I was always driving by it and kept getting drawn to this property as a second location.”
For Lloyd Companies, the project represented the kind of full-service relationship that can help a local business owner turn a growth opportunity into a finished space.
Lloyd Commercial Real Estate helped with site selection and the property purchase. Lloyd Design Group helped transform the existing building into a modern restaurant that still honored the Nick’s Gyros brand. Lloyd Construction brought the vision to life through the remodel.
“It is always rewarding to help a local operator grow, especially when it is a business like Nick’s Gyros that has been part of the Sioux Falls community for so many years,” said Wayne Huber, commercial real estate broker with Lloyd Commercial Real Estate.
Finding The Right Fit
For a restaurant, choosing a second location is about more than finding an available building.
It requires evaluating visibility, access, parking, traffic patterns, surrounding neighborhoods, nearby businesses and how the site can support the long-term growth of the brand.
“As the buyer’s broker, my role was to help Nick’s Gyros evaluate the opportunity through both a real estate and operational lens,” Huber said.
The Lloyd team looked at existing buildings as well as land options for a possible new build.
Once the East 10th Street property emerged as a strong possibility, Lloyd helped work through the purchase process, evaluate how the building could function as a restaurant and coordinate the real estate side of the transaction.
The location made sense for multiple reasons.
“The East 10th Street corridor provides strong visibility, convenient access and exposure to a well-established part of Sioux Falls with consistent daily traffic as a corridor from downtown and Interstate 229 toward the quickly growing east side of Sioux Falls,” Huber said.
It also allows Nick’s Gyros to better serve east-side customers while expanding beyond its longtime original location.
“The drive-thru sold me, the huge walk-in cooler and freezer sold me, so I thought I might as well go for it,” Sengos said.
From a real estate standpoint, the property offered the right mix of location, building potential and long-term upside, Huber said.
It also gave Nick’s Gyros the opportunity to own the real estate, control occupancy costs and create a second location in a corridor serving residents, employees and daily customers.
“On a personal level, this was a fun project to be involved with,” Huber said. “Nick’s Gyros is one of those local businesses that has built a strong reputation over a long period of time.”
From the start, Sengos said he was impressed by the comprehensive approach Lloyd Companies took with his project.
“I came in and sat down in their board room, and they had two designers, the CEO and the main construction leader, in addition to Wayne, so I was very humbled by how the whole organization came and wanted to help me,” he said. “It was an amazing experience from the beginning.”
Designing A New Chapter
Once the building was selected, Lloyd Design Group helped turn the existing space into a new restaurant experience.
Maddy Reecy, architectural associate, and Bailee Schopp, interior designer, were involved from the beginning, first assisting Lloyd’s real estate team with predesign space planning to help determine whether the building could work for Nick’s Gyros.
After the building was chosen, the design team handled demolition plans, architectural design, interior and exterior finishes, furniture procurement and some of the final decor and styling.
“Early on, we met with the client to better understand his vision for the new location,” Reecy said. “It quickly became clear that they wanted this restaurant to feel more modern and elevated while still honoring the Greek heritage and familiarity that customers associate with Nick’s Gyros.”
That balance became the driving force behind the design.
The team created a clean, contemporary space while incorporating details that pay homage to the original restaurant through finishes, decor and architectural elements.
“They were super easy to work with,” Sengos said. “The brought a bunch of samples so I could make decisions and then we moved onto the next thing.”
One of the standout features is the blue mosaic tile carried throughout the interior, along with tile arches at the serving counters.
“These elements provide a subtle nod to Greek architecture and culture while giving the restaurant a unique identity,” Schopp said.
The overall goal was to create a bright, welcoming and timeless space. Neutral finishes, warm wood tones and thoughtful lighting help create an inviting atmosphere, while blue accents add character without overwhelming the restaurant.
On the exterior, Lloyd gave the building a complete refresh with updated materials, modern storefront glazing, new stucco finishes, new awnings and a Greek key design element.
“The result is a clean, contemporary facade that feels like a natural evolution of the Nick’s Gyros brand while creating a strong presence along the street that is sure to catch your eye,” Reecy said.
Throughout the process, Lloyd Design Group worked closely with Sengos to refine the vision, coordinated with Lloyd Construction to keep the design aligned with the budget and collaborated through construction to make sure details were executed as intended.
Building Through Challenges
Lloyd Construction’s involvement began before the property changed hands. During the due diligence process, Lloyd Construction joined Lloyd Real Estate and Lloyd Design Group for an initial walkthrough of the existing building, providing construction insight and conceptual pricing to help the owner evaluate the property and make an informed decision about moving forward with the purchase.
That early collaboration continued into pre-construction. The owner had a vision for how he wanted to transform the former coffee shop into the new Nick’s Gyros location, and the team was able to explore those ideas in real time.
From there, Design and Construction worked side by side throughout pre-construction and construction, helping evaluate options, anticipate potential issues and give the owner the information needed to make timely decisions.
The approximately 3,380-square-foot project included a full renovation of the existing space, including a refreshed dining area and exterior improvements.
As is often the case when renovating an existing building, construction uncovered previously concealed conditions that could not have been fully identified during initial due diligence. Addressing those conditions required additional work and had the potential to significantly impact both the project budget and schedule.
“When we uncovered the existing conditions, our first priority was understanding the extent of the issue and giving the owner a clear path forward,” said Austin Smit, project manager with Lloyd Construction. “We worked closely with ownership and our trade partners to evaluate the available options, understand the cost and schedule impacts, and determine the best solution for the project. From there, it became about adjusting our plan and keeping everything moving toward the owner’s opening date.”
Throughout construction, Lloyd Construction coordinated closely with its trade partners, Lloyd Design Group and ownership to work through those challenges while remaining mindful of the owner’s budget. Timely communication and decision-making allowed the team to adjust as conditions changed and ultimately complete the project in time for the planned opening”
“It definitely was a full renovation, and what stood out to me was how professional everyone was,” Sengos said. “They would always communicate with me about what the upcoming week would entail and just provided a lot of great information, and I loved that.”
The project demonstrates the value of bringing real estate, design and construction expertise together early in the process. Lloyd Real Estate helped identify and secure the site. Lloyd Design Group helped turn the owner’s ideas into a cohesive design. And Lloyd Construction provided constructability and cost input from due diligence through pre-construction before ultimately managing the renovation and navigating the realities of an existing building.
For a local business owner expanding into a second location, that approach created continuity from the first walkthrough through opening day — allowing decisions about the property, design, budget and construction to be considered together rather than independently.
Supporting Local Business Growth
For the Lloyd team, the final result is about more than a remodeled building.
It is about helping a longtime Sioux Falls business continue growing.
“Our team is incredibly proud of how the project came together,” Schopp said. “Opportunities like this don’t come around every day, and we’re grateful that the client trusted us with bringing the vision to life.”
The new East 10th Street location gives Nick’s Gyros a fresh presence on a high-traffic corridor while keeping the familiarity customers know from the original restaurant.
It also shows how thoughtful design can help a longtime brand evolve without losing what made it successful.
“It’s especially rewarding to work on projects that support locally owned businesses and contribute to the continued growth of Sioux Falls,” Reecy said. “Seeing a longtime community favorite expand into a thoughtfully designed new location has been exciting, and we hope the space serves both Nick’s Gyros and the community for many years to come.”
Now that the location is open, Sengos is enjoying seeing his vision come to life.
“It’s great that so many people are supporting it, and I’m so grateful for how Lloyd Companies helped make it happen,” he said. “One hundred percent, I would work with them again.”
