Cafe Bar Karagiozis.The People behind the Legend!!!(Eng).

It was winter 1981.Two soldiers after completing their service with the Hellenic Armed Forces decided to open a small bar in a remote area of the town of Myrina Lemnos.

At first people were very skeptical on this new venture.Strange and dark lightning seemed not to be welcomed by the elderly locals and tried to avoid their “children to go to that satanic place”.
At the time the local youth was only partying at homes and were secretly listening the newcoming mainstream of Rock, Punk and Disco music.
The newcomers bar at first became a meeting place for a couple of openmided young people, going to the “joint” avoiding to be seen.
The first new experience was blossoming day by day with  rebellions of the custom local social status.
Restrictions attempted to be imposed from their parents and warnings about the “dangers” of their new habit, but this new attraction was their first free place where they could exchange new ideas and experience the sounds arriving from Europe and the states.
Not long and the place became packed with fanatic habitues!
At the time, for  the  entrepreneurs Costas and Tassos it was more a hobby than a source of income.
The place was becoming more as a gift and people perceived it as of being their own.
This trend needed to grow bigger and was highly demanding more and more space.
The developing new ideas spurting out of the new music, atmosphere and sence of freedom needed a new home to welcome more and more people urging to become part of the trend they were creating.
The local powers that be were searching ways to void the flow.All efforts were downturned.
The new place was named by the people, Karagiozis, a traditional joker that was a antiturkish rebell fictional fiqure created hundreds of years before by the supressed by Turks, Greek nation.
Many believe that it has been named from the surname of one of the two pioneers which is  fortuitously Karaiozis and not Karagiozis.The initial idea was, Chameleon bar, that was forced to be dropped by the other real owners of the place, the people of it.
Despite the efforts for closure from TPTB a local open minded, the late Mr. Nikos Garofalidis, assisted the newcomers to move at the current location at Romeikos seafront by persuading the then estate owner to rent them the unfinished still building.
The new temple was being complete with the contribution of ideas by all.
Costa and Tasso finances were limited and had to do many sacrifices to implement the needs of friends and customers.Eventually they made means end!!!
Since then, thousands paraded the “place” of Karagiozis.
Lack of money was never an issue for somebody who wanted to experience the atmosphere!!!
Most were “on the house” rather than ordered and paid by customers.
Almost every Lemnian youth has been employed and well paid in their initial work effort in life.
The Legend has been through ups and downs by changing generations but still flourishing and today left in to the hands of the people to lead the drive.
Since long time ago Karagiozis bar is left on autopilot with Costas and Tassos supervising from a distance.Even if you ever meet them there, you will see them as part of the whole experiencing the current.
Today, Lemnos might not be heard of but Karagiozis is very famous.
Around Greece and the world, when asked “where are you from”? One will reply Lemnos!!!And the comment will be “Oh good from the place of Karagiozis bar”!!!!!!!
The Legend lives on….

Read more Karagiozis Bar (Lemnos-Greece)

Photography by Alex Manikakis