Aplos Announces the Launch of Its Third Location in Oxford, Marking a Milestone in Its 10-Year Growth Plan
Aplós, the Mediterranean restaurant known for its fresh ingredients and strong community values, has announced the opening of its third location in Oxford, Mississippi, slated for late summer 2026. This new venue represents a pivotal step in the brand's growth, marking its first out-of-town expansion and the start of a 10-year vision to scale across the Southeastern United States.
The Oxford location will be built outside the town square, a strategic move aimed at serving both the city's growing local population and the influx of students from nearby universities. Founder and executive chef Alex Eaton explains, 'Oxford is a vibrant college town, but its growth has outpaced the infrastructure around the square. We saw an opportunity to be part of the community where people live, study, and spend their weekends, not just where they party.'
The decision to expand to Oxford was not made lightly. It followed careful planning, community engagement, and groundwork to ensure Aplós doesn't just arrive but truly belong to the community. Eaton has already met with local officials and planners to understand how Aplós can contribute meaningfully to the area. 'For me, it's not enough to have good food and a good-looking brand,' Eaton says. 'We want to be woven into the community fabric, partnering with schools, giving students work experience, and showing up where it matters.'
This emphasis on local connection is part of what Eaton calls the 'recipe for the brand.' Inspired by his years working in the fine dining kitchens of New Orleans and his Lebanese heritage, Aplós combines Mediterranean simplicity with Southern hospitality. However, Eaton believes that a healthy business starts with people. 'Before we grow, we have to grow our executive team, our culture, our values,' he says. 'You can't build a restaurant in a new city if the foundation is not rock solid.'
Oxford will be the third Aplós location, following successful openings in Jackson and Ridgeland, Mississippi. The new location will sit alongside key community spaces, a high school, a movie theater, and new student apartment beds, giving it direct access to a mix of families, students, and young professionals. 'This is not about replicating a chain,' Eaton says. 'Each location of Aplós should feel like its own thing. That's how we avoid becoming just another brand.'
The long-term plan is ambitious. Eaton and his team are eyeing 10 Aplós locations in 10 years, with targeted growth in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and eventually Arkansas and Texas. 'We are focused on what I call 'community-centric development,'' says Eaton. 'If we are going to grow, it's got to be in places where we can be more than a restaurant. We need to be a job creator, a support system, a gathering spot.'
As the brand expands, Aplós will continue to invest in business coaching, internal leadership development, and youth employment programs. The company already works with high schools and plans to collaborate with hospitality colleges to offer credit-earning internships. 'Growth is one of our core values,' says Eaton. 'If you're not growing, whether as a dishwasher or a regional manager, you are probably in the wrong place.'
At its core, the Oxford expansion is a litmus test. 'Back home, people support us because they know me,' Eaton says. 'Oxford is different. People don't care who I am; they will judge us by our product, our team, and how we show up in their community. That's what makes this so real.'
If all goes according to plan, the Oxford launch will be the start of something much bigger than just another restaurant. It will be the blueprint for how Aplós grows, with integrity, intentionality, and local roots firmly planted in every community it joins.
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