George Karnezis, beloved owner of one of Charlotte’s oldest restaurants, has died
Since he was a boy in Greece, George Karnezis worked hard at everything he did, his daughter, Sara, said Saturday.
“But he was also very sociable,” she said. “Lots of friends. He was a great storyteller, a great joke teller. He loved people, and people loved him.”
George Angelo Karnezis, owner of the longtime Kopper Kettle family restaurant in Pineville, died peacefully on Thursday, his daughter said. He was 88.
Her dad’s work ethic and outgoing personality explain the longevity of the restaurant that he and Penny, his wife of 60 years, opened on May 12, 1971, his daughter said. It was also known for its longtime loyal staff and the consistency of its “great food,” she said.
It all led to generations of families as customers.
“One couple got engaged at the Kopper Kettle,” Sara Karnezis Morris told The Charlotte Observer. “And now their grandkids are coming here. It’s just history.”
George Karnezis also was a longtime member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Charlotte. In 1978, he helped co-found the annual Yiasou Greek Festival at the church on East Boulevard.
After he had a stroke in 2014, his daughter took over operations of the restaurant.
Restaurant to reopen after fire
Located at 11000 Nations Ford Road, the restaurant has been closed since a kitchen fire damaged the interior overnight Oct. 29-30, 2024. “The sprinkler system flooded the entire interior,” Sara Morris said.
She originally hoped to reopen on May 12, marking the 55th year of the restaurant, but still awaits county inspections.
Patrons will see new floors, walls and ceiling but can expect much of the rest to be the same, including the breakfast and lunch offerings, she said. That includes such famous dishes as The Original Smash Pot, with tomatoes, cheese, onions, peppers and potatoes.
After all, she said, the Kopper Kettle “is an institution” thanks to her mom and dad.
The funeral for George Karnezis will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 5, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Blvd., Charlotte. The family will receive friends 30 minutes before the service. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery.
Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service is handling arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at KennethPoeServices.com.