Constantinos "Gus" Theofanis Kollias, 85, of Kansas City, Missouri saw his last sunset on January 2, 2024.

Gus saw his first sunrise on December 12th, 1938, in Athens, Greece. He was the youngest child of seven, born to parents Theofanis Kollias and Panayiota Madourou.

Gus grew up very poor and only had an elementary school education (as most kids had in those days after the invasion of the Germans).  As a young boy, he went to work for a butcher shop where he would deliver meats on a bicycle, among other things.  Learning the trade, he eventually and subsequently opened his own store and after a while a second one, close by.  He also drove his dad's taxi in Athens for a little while.

Gus decided to seek a better life by first immigrating to Canada, then New York, before finally landing in Kansas City, Missouri in early 1967, where he had relatives that helped with his transition into the land of opportunity.  First working at his sister Anna's restaurant, the Grecian Gardens, and the Kansas City Club for a short period, then opening the restaurant Tony and Tina's with his then wife Annette Cambiano, he later went to work at the iconic landmark restaurant the Savoy Grill, where he was a server for several years.  Eventually, in the late 1970's, he opened his own bar Gus' Goldmine on 13th and Main.  While he worked at Savoy Grill during the day, he operated his bar at night until it did well enough where he could work it full time.  Always wise with his finances, his then father-in-law Ross Cambiano, of Ross' Grill on Grand, once told him "You Greeks don't throw anything away, you have a trash can this small (as he cupped his hands) and a cash register THIS big (as he opened his hands wide)" 😊.

Gus' Goldmine, a hole in the wall bar, was so small that if you drove down Main Street and blinked your eyes you would miss it.  For a short time, he even opened a Gus' Goldmine #2, on the 8200 block of Wornall in the mid 1980's.  He didn't let his lack of a formal education, or his inability to speak the English language efficiently, stop him from making his mark in this world.  Closing his bar after 29 years in the business, right before the Power and Light District development began, didn't put a dent in Gus' nightlife at all.  Even up until the week he passed, he ventured out every night, EVERY NIGHT, to various businesses of friends all over the KC Area, especially to Tasso's Restaurant, where he and his late friend Tasso would sit there bantering with each other until the closing lights were flipped on.  He spent more time there than a bottle of Metaxa Ouzo behind the bar on the shelf 😊.  Whenever he went out with friends, and the bill came to the table, he wasn't shy about sticking his hand in his pocket to pay.

Throughout his life he spent a few months out of the year in Greece visiting family and friends, taking every chance to go swimming at the beach or sitting in the town square having some ouzo and meze "appetizers", and conversing with the locals.  Gus loved telling jokes and usually the same ones.  As he laughed at his own jokes, he would ask you if you understood it, then he would explain the joke to you like you were the one that didn't speak English 😊.

Gus worked hard his whole life and would always stay busy.  If there ever was a classic immigrant success story in America, and if one could be called a self-made man, it was my father…Gus the Greek. You will be greatly missed by all who knew you.  Yassou baba mou.  –  Frankie Collias.

Gus is preceded in death by his parents, brother Yiorgo, and sisters Toula, Popitsa, Alexandra, and Anna.

Survived by his brother Spyros (wife Sofia), Gus' only son Frankie Collias, Frankie's siblings Denise C., Ross D. and Mike D., nieces Valentina P., Mary M., Christina H., Penny S., Elina K., Peggy R., and nephews Fanis K., Dimitris B., Fanis B., Paul P., Frank M., and Fanis K., as well as other extended family and friends.

Visitation and funeral services will be held on Monday, January 15th at St. Dionysios Greek Orthodox Church (8100 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212).  Visitation will start at 10:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m.  Graveside service will follow church proceedings and will be at De Soto Cemetery at 34500 W. 87th St, De Soto, KS 66018.