Nik Rajkovic / Jessica Mathews / News@whmi.com


Highland House Restaurant is celebrating 50 years of serving the community.

A celebration event was held this afternoon at the restaurant located at 340 Town Center Blvd.

Owner Elia Nicholas was presented with a key to the township for his work in employing over 25,000 people over 50 years, as well as promoting work opportunities for people with disabilities.

Some prices for today are 1976 prices, and they even brought in the Stanley Cup to celebrate.

The family operates several Gus’s Carry Out locations including Howell and Brighton, Tomato Brothers, E.G. Nicks, and Smoke Street Barbecue in Milford.

The restaurants are known for their popular garlicky, hand-rolled breadsticks and made-from-scratch-items like lasagna and homemade Greek salad dressing.

Nicholas told WHMI “They tell ya when ya get older how time flies, I’m in the express lane now it seems like but we’ve been very fortunate and very fortunate as a family, everything is going really well…most restaurants never even see 50 years”.

Nicholas thanked everyone for their support, and for welcoming them into the community.

Highland Township Supervisor Rick Hammill told WHMI the family is a phenomenal group of people. He’s known the family for the entire 50 years they’ve been in the community, and has had countless meals at the restaurant. His and Elia’s favorite? Spaghetti.

Hamill said “they’re a family that has contributed to our community like very few have ever contributed, they’ve literally given thousands of people jobs, and that’s unusual, very rare, and they’ve had generations of people grow up in this restaurant”.