The co-owners of fast-casual Mediterranean chain Cava have sold Sugo to focus on other restaurant projects, passing the Potomac pasta and pizza place on to a loyal longtime customer.
Co-owners Ted Xenohristos, Ike Grigoropolous and Dimitri Moshovitis opened Sugo six years ago at 12505 Park Potomac Ave., but operating the restaurant became a bit much for the restaurateurs, who recently purchased fast-casual chain Zoes Kitchen and are expected to open French-Mediterranean restaurant Julii next week at North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose. Longtime Subway franchise owner and operator Dhvani Vyas purchased Sugo after hearing rumors about a potential sale, Xenohristos said.
“He had good timing when he came and asked about it,” Xenohristos said. “We just had a lot going on. When Zoes came online, it put a lot on our plate.”
Xenohristos added Vyas’ passion for Sugo and pledge to maintain its style and employees eased the process.
“When he told us he was keeping the brand and wanted to keep the staff, it made it really easy for us to be like ‘OK, great, we built something and it’ll be sustainable and stick around and the staff will be taken care of,’ ” Xenohristos said. “So we were kinda happy to move forward.”
Store Reporter first reported the sale.
Vyas was born in India but grew up in Montgomery County in the Burtonsville area. He graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park in 2000 and has owned and operated a Subway franchise in Greenbelt since 2007. Vyas said this will be his first business venture in the county.
“I visited many times with family and friends, I enjoyed the food and atmosphere,” Vyas said in an email. “I really liked what Ike, Ted and Dimitri have [built] here. I am not looking to make major changes.”
The Cava team shared ownership of Sugo with a few different investors, all of whom agreed to the sale. Sugo was the only restaurant that the trio didn’t fully own, Xenohristos said.
