Today we’d like to introduce you to Electra Poulimenos.
Hi Electra, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in a strong Greek family where family has always been the center of everything we do. Hard work, dedication, loyalty, and the drive to be the best version of yourself weren’t just things we were taught; they were values we lived by every single day. Looking back, I think my entrepreneurial journey started long before I even realized it.
Both of my parents immigrated to the United States from Greece. My mother came when she was just 12 years old, and my father arrived at 25. My father built our family’s meat manufacturing company from the ground up with the support of my mother, who was also raising our family and working as a counselor. They showed us what hard work, sacrifice, and determination really looked like.
My brother Dimitri and I grew up in that business. Dimitri worked full-time alongside my father and was heavily involved in the production side, while I spent my teenage years through my mid-20s working in distribution. We were surrounded by the business our entire lives, and whether we realized it or not, we were learning lessons that would eventually shape our own future.
My grandfather was another huge influence in my life. He was a strong man who knew so much about meat, and I absolutely adored him. When I was little, I actually wanted to become a butcher just like him. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was only 12. At that age, you’re more focused on enjoying someone’s presence than realizing just how much knowledge and wisdom they have to share. Looking back, I wish I could have had more time to learn from him.
As for my dream of becoming a butcher, my mother wasn’t exactly on board with that career choice (LOL). So I moved on to my other lifelong dream: becoming a teacher.
I earned my undergraduate degree in Special Education with a minor in Psychology, followed by my master’s degree in Education. I spent two years teaching in a local school district, and I genuinely loved it. Teaching was rewarding, and I truly believed that was the career I would have for the rest of my life.
But life had other plans.
The idea of opening a cheesesteak shop came up, and the opportunity to build something alongside my big brother was something I couldn’t pass up.
I’ve always looked up to Dimitri. His work ethic, determination, confidence, and ability to make things happen have always pushed me to be better, faster, stronger, and more aggressive when it comes to pursuing what I want.
In 2016, we found the perfect location in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse neighborhood, and Cleavers Philadelphia was born.
For the first six months after opening, I was living two completely different lives. I was teaching during the day and working at Cleavers whenever I wasn’t in the classroom. It was exhausting, but it also allowed me to see what we were building and how much potential it had.
Eventually, I realized that I couldn’t give both careers the attention they deserved. After four months of juggling teaching and the restaurant, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life: I left teaching to dedicate myself full-time to Cleavers.
It wasn’t an easy decision after spending so many years working toward my degrees and a career I loved. But I knew I would regret not taking the opportunity to build something with my brother. I believed in him, I believed in our vision, and I wanted to give it everything I had.
And our parents? They supported us completely! They have always supported Dimitri and me in everything we’ve decided to do. Now, being Greek parents, that support naturally comes with plenty of opinions, advice, suggestions, and sometimes opinions about the opinions! But at the end of the day, we have always known they’re in our corner. They’ve given us guidance throughout our lives while allowing us to march to the beat of our own drum.
**The name “Cleavers” came from the cleaver knife, a tool traditionally used in butcher shops to cut meat.** With our family’s deep roots in the meat manufacturing industry, we wanted our restaurant to have that authentic butcher-shop feel while bringing something fresh and different to the Philadelphia cheesesteak scene. The name was a natural fit. It represented where we came from, the industry we grew up in, and the quality of meat that would become the foundation of our brand. In many ways, Cleavers is our way of carrying on our family’s history while creating something entirely our own.
We took our knowledge of the meat industry and combined it with our vision of what a cheesesteak shop could be. We wanted to create something that represented our family’s commitment to quality while putting our own spin on a Philadelphia classic.
Coming from a family meat manufacturing business, I was already accustomed to working in an industry surrounded by more men than women. So when I entered the restaurant industry, I honestly never gave much thought to being a woman in a male-dominated business. I didn’t see it as an obstacle or something I needed to prove. I just kept moving forward, focusing on what needed to get done and what we could do better to make Cleavers successful. I’ve always believed that your work, your determination, and your results should speak for themselves.
Of course, building a business with family comes with its own unique challenges. And sometimes the biggest challenge of working with family is simply that — working with family! HAHA.
Dimitri and I are both strong personalities, and figuring out who leads, who follows, and when to stand beside each other isn’t always easy. But we’ve always had a relationship where we can talk things out, sometimes yell things out, and then move on. We don’t hold grudges, and at the end of the day, we know we’re working toward the same goal. It may not be everyone’s idea of a perfect business partnership, but it works for us!
One of the things I admire most about Dimitri is his mind. And when I say he’s smart, I don’t mean just regular smart. The way his brain works is genuinely amazing to watch. He’s the engineer, the contractor, the mechanic, the problem-solver, and the business advisor, sometimes all in the same day! He’s the person who can look at something, figure out how it works, how to fix it, and how to make it better. He is such a huge part of what keeps this business moving forward.
My role is different, but I think that’s what makes us such a good team. I’m heavily involved in the front end of the business, working with customers, managing orders, supporting our employees, marketing, building business relationships, and handling plenty of behind-the-scenes responsibilities as well. I love the relationships and connections that come with owning a business, and I enjoy finding new opportunities to help Cleavers grow.
We each bring different strengths to the table. There are times when he leads, times when I lead, and times when we have to figure out how to lead together. We challenge each other, and I truly believe that’s part of what has made our partnership successful.
The early years came with long hours, learning curves, and the constant challenge of making sure everything operated the way we envisioned. We were figuring things out, adjusting, and always looking for ways to improve.
Then came COVID.
Like so many businesses, we had to quickly rethink how we operated. There was no playbook for what was happening, and every day seemed to bring a new challenge. We had to pivot, adapt, and find new ways to reach our customers while following all the required safety precautions.
Rather than standing still, we kept trying different approaches to make sure people knew we were open and ready to serve them. Dimitri and I eventually found our rhythm, and through that experience, we were able to strengthen and grow our takeout and delivery business. What started as one of our biggest challenges ultimately helped us develop another important part of our business.
Through it all, we kept showing up, working hard, and figuring things out together.
Fast-forward ten years, and I sometimes can’t believe how far we’ve come. Dimitri and I have spent the last decade building Cleavers from the ground up. We’ve experienced the long hours, the disagreements, the setbacks, the successes, and everything in between.
In May 2026, we reached another major milestone when we opened our second Cleavers location in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Expanding into the suburbs gave us the opportunity to introduce Cleavers to an entirely new community, and it has been another exciting chapter in our journey.
Opening two restaurants is a huge accomplishment, but building businesses that continue to grow and succeed is even more rewarding. Of course, one of the things I’m most proud of is that I’ve been able to build all of this alongside my brother. I genuinely wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.
I’m also incredibly proud of the relationships we’ve built with our employees at both locations. Over the years, our teams have become an extension of our family. A business doesn’t succeed because of its owners alone. It takes dedicated people who show up every day, work hard, care about what they’re doing, and help make the business better. We depend on our employees, and we recognize how important they are to everything we’ve accomplished. Watching those relationships grow and knowing that we’re all working toward something together is one of the most rewarding parts of owning Cleavers.
Today, we’re celebrating ten years in business, two locations, and hopefully many more to come.
Our vision for Cleavers has always been bigger than just one restaurant. We want to continue expanding with locations of our own, and we’ve also begun franchising to create opportunities for others to become part of the Cleavers family. Our goal is to grow beyond Philadelphia while maintaining the quality, consistency, and family values that have been the foundation of our business since day one.
The way I see it, the more Cleavers Philadelphia locations there are, the more opportunities people have to enjoy a really great cheesesteak close to home!
When I look back at my journey, I realize that although I didn’t become a butcher or stay in the classroom, both dreams helped shape who I am. Teaching gave me patience, communication skills, and the ability to connect with people, while growing up in the family business taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of hard work.
Our parents have always been our biggest examples of what it means to build something through determination and sacrifice. They came to this country, built a life, raised a family, and showed us that with hard work and persistence, you can create something meaningful. Dimitri and I have taken those lessons and found our own way to carry them forward.
Most importantly, I’m proud that I get to do this alongside my brother. Coming from a Greek family, there’s something incredibly meaningful about carrying on the entrepreneurial spirit that our parents and grandparents instilled in us while creating a legacy of our own.
And who knows? Maybe that little girl who wanted to become a butcher got exactly what she wanted after all, just in a very different way.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Coming from a family meat manufacturing business, I was already accustomed to working in an industry surrounded by more men than women. So when I entered the restaurant industry, I honestly never gave much thought to being a woman in a male-dominated business. I didn’t see it as an obstacle or something I needed to prove. I just kept moving forward, focusing on what needed to get done and what we could do better to make Cleavers successful. I’ve always believed that your work, your determination, and your results should speak for themselves.
Of course, building a business with family comes with its own unique challenges. And sometimes the biggest challenge of working with family is simply that — working with family! HAHA.
Dimitri and I are both strong personalities, and figuring out who leads, who follows, and when to stand beside each other isn’t always easy. But we’ve always had a relationship where we can talk things out, sometimes yell things out, and then move on. We don’t hold grudges, and at the end of the day, we know we’re working toward the same goal. It may not be everyone’s idea of a perfect business partnership, but it works for us!
One of the things I admire most about Dimitri is his mind. And when I say he’s smart, I don’t mean just regular smart. The way his brain works is genuinely amazing to watch. He’s the engineer, the contractor, the mechanic, the problem-solver, and the business advisor, sometimes all in the same day! He’s the person who can look at something, figure out how it works, how to fix it, and how to make it better. He is such a huge part of what keeps this business moving forward.
My role is different, but I think that’s what makes us such a good team. I’m heavily involved in the front end of the business, working with customers, managing orders, supporting our employees, marketing, building business relationships, and handling plenty of behind-the-scenes responsibilities as well. I love the relationships and connections that come with owning a business, and I enjoy finding new opportunities to help Cleavers grow.
We each bring different strengths to the table. There are times when he leads, times when I lead, and times when we have to figure out how to lead together. We challenge each other, and I truly believe that’s part of what has made our partnership successful.
The early years came with long hours, learning curves, and the constant challenge of making sure everything operated the way we envisioned. We were figuring things out, adjusting, and always looking for ways to improve.
Then came COVID.
Like so many businesses, we had to quickly rethink how we operated. There was no playbook for what was happening, and every day seemed to bring a new challenge. We had to pivot, adapt, and find new ways to reach our customers while following all the required safety precautions.
Rather than standing still, we kept trying different approaches to make sure people knew we were open and ready to serve them. Dimitri and I eventually found our rhythm, and through that experience, we were able to strengthen and grow our takeout and delivery business. What started as one of our biggest challenges ultimately helped us develop another important part of our business.
Through it all, we kept showing up, working hard, and figuring things out together.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
When I think about Cleavers Philadelphia, I don’t just think about cheesesteaks. I think about everything my brother Dimitri and I have poured into this business over the last ten years. The long hours, the challenges, the relationships we’ve built, and the pride of watching something we created continue to grow.
What makes Cleavers different starts with our roots. Growing up in the meat manufacturing industry, quality was always a priority in our family. We brought that knowledge into Cleavers, using 100% USDA domestic ribeye with a proprietary cut and marinade developed exclusively for our brand. It’s something I’m incredibly proud of because it connects our family’s history to what we’ve created today.
One thing I’ve always loved about Cleavers is that we’re not afraid to do things differently. Philadelphia has plenty of opinions about how a cheesesteak should be made, and believe me, people aren’t shy about sharing them! But our philosophy has always been **”Make it the way YOU like it.”** We offer endless customization, and our menu goes far beyond cheesesteaks, with grilled chicken, homemade cutlets, roast pork, specialty sandwiches, salads, wraps, bowls, and our homemade eggrolls. I want everyone who walks into Cleavers to find something they love.
Personally, one of my favorite parts of owning Cleavers is the people. I love interacting with customers, building business relationships, supporting our employees, and finding new ways to grow. I’m especially proud of the family we’ve built with our teams at both locations. Our employees are a huge part of our success, and we couldn’t do what we do without them.
I’m also proud that Cleavers has given us opportunities to give back to our communities. Supporting local organizations, schools, healthcare workers, and charitable causes is something that means a lot to me.
What makes me proudest of our brand is that we’ve created our own identity in a city famous for cheesesteaks. We didn’t try to become someone else. We took our family’s knowledge, trusted our instincts, and built something that represents us.
Today, with two locations and ten years behind us, we’re continuing to grow through future company-owned locations and franchising opportunities. My goal is to bring Cleavers to more communities without losing the quality, personality, and family values that got us here.
At the end of the day, **Cleavers is more than a business to me. It’s something my brother and I built together, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve created or more excited about what’s ahead.**
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me, both personally and professionally, is family, loyalty, hard work, and the relationships we build along the way.
Personally, family has always been my foundation. Growing up in a strong Greek household, I was raised to understand the importance of supporting one another, staying connected, and always being there for the people you love. My parents taught me that success isn’t just about what you accomplish, but also about the kind of person you are and how you treat others. Those values have stayed with me throughout my life.
Professionally, what matters most is taking pride in what I do, continuing to grow, and never becoming complacent. I believe there’s always room to improve, learn something new, and push yourself further. I also value the relationships we’ve built with our employees, customers, and community. A successful business isn’t built by one person; it’s built by people who believe in what they’re doing and work together to make it happen.
I’m incredibly proud of what Dimitri and I have accomplished, but I never want to lose sight of why we started or the people who helped us get here.
**At the end of the day, success means so much more to me when I can share it with the people I love, be proud of what I’ve built, and know that I’ve stayed true to myself along the way.**
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cleaversphilly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaversphilly/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleaversphilly/
