Meet Suren Balaian | restaurateur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Suren Balaian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Suren, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was born into an Armenian family in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). Due to the war between Armenians and Azerbaijanis, we moved to Ukraine, where I lived for over 30 years and came to consider it my home. Because of the war in Ukraine, we later moved to the United States.

My entrepreneurial journey began when I was 13 — back then, I couldn’t understand why everyone didn’t have a business. I started by selling mobile phones and was doing quite well. Today, I’m a serial entrepreneur.

I lost my brother, ZORI, in Ukraine. I constantly thought about how I could bring him back, or do something to honor his memory. That’s when the idea came to me: to open a restaurant and name it after him — to immortalize his name and legacy.

As it happens, “ZORI” means “star” in Ukrainian, which is why we use a star in our logo. In life, ZORI was full of joy and loved making people happy. For me, the ZORI brand is not just a business — it’s something much more. The main mission of the restaurant is to bring people joy.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started my first business at the age of 13, selling prepaid SIM cards and basic mobile phones. My initial capital was less than $10. For the first few months, I sold starter packs, gradually saving enough to start buying and reselling used mobile phones.

Eventually, I had enough capital to open a small store, but because I was still a minor, I couldn’t do it legally. I constantly wished I could grow up faster — my ambitions were huge, but my age placed a lot of limitations on me.

One day I saw an ad for a mobile phone display case for sale. I called the seller, asked why he was selling it, and ended up offering to buy everything — on the condition that he would become my business partner. It was a win-win deal. To this day, I believe a true entrepreneur should aim to create situations where everyone benefits. The key is not to confuse kindness with weakness.

The biggest challenge of running a phone shop was how quickly phones lost value — prices dropped every week. So I decided: our store wouldn’t carry physical phones at all, just display models. If a customer wanted a phone, we’d bring it within 30 minutes from the wholesale warehouse.

While other stores set high prices to protect their margins (since they were stuck with old inventory), we sold phones on the same day we got them — always at the lowest price in the city. Soon we had long lines every day and were selling dozens of phones daily.

But I always wanted to do something bigger, something that would benefit others. I came across a fact in a book that stuck with me: recycling one ton of paper saves ten trees. That idea wouldn’t leave me. It was 2008, I was 21, and I was happy I could now legally open a company.

That same year, a global crisis hit. Many players in the recycling industry stopped buying scrap and materials — they had no more storage and no working capital. Prices collapsed, and recycling became unprofitable.

But I believed that crisis meant opportunity. We started expanding, opening dozens of small collection points. Later, we rented a warehouse and began pressing paper ourselves. When factories resumed buying, prices went up — and that was our moment.

As we began to gain market share, a representative from one of the big paper factories came to our office and told me that we should sell all our material only to him — because, according to him, “all the paper in the city belongs to me.” He even pointed at the book on my desk and said, “That paper is mine too.” And then added: “If you don’t work with me, you won’t have a single kilogram of paper to sell.”

That was the greatest motivation I’ve ever received.

I told him: “After what you just said, I’m going to grow even bigger.”

We set the highest prices in the city, launched the right marketing, and began collecting so much that even working in two shifts, we couldn’t process it fast enough.

But I can tell you — none of it came easy. Nothing in my life has ever come easy. Every stage was filled with serious challenges. But every time I overcame them, I gained experience and fuel to go further.

That business still operates successfully to this day.

In 2015, I lost my brother, ZORI. I spent a long time thinking how I could bring him back, or in some way make up for that loss. That’s how the idea was born — to immortalize his name and open a place that would bring people joy.

Located in one of the best spots in Los Angeles – right across from The Grove and the Original Farmers Market—ZORI has grown into a beloved restaurant known for its warm atmosphere, exceptional cuisine, and meaningful story. Our team includes over 25 dedicated professionals, and we’re proud to welcome hundreds of guests each week who feel the spirit of ZORI in every detail.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d take my friend for a ride through Downtown, then we’d stroll along the Santa Monica Pier. Of course, we’d also walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame — and naturally, we’d end the day with dinner at ZORI.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I was inspired by my brother ZORI. Although he is no longer physically with me, I always feel his presence and support — especially during the most difficult times in life. To me, he is still alive.

Naming the restaurant after my brother came with a deep responsibility: I had no right to let it fail. I had to make it successful and continue spreading joy to others — just like he always did.

There were many meaningful coincidences during the construction of our first restaurant. One that really stood out was when we received thick-wall metal pipes for recycling — another one of my businesses — at an incredibly low price, essentially at scrap value. These pipes are extremely rare, expensive, and usually require a long wait to source.

In 17 years of working in the recycling business, it was the only time we were ever offered such material — and it never happened again. But I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe everything that happens to us has meaning.

Website: https://zorigastrobar.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zori_gastrobar/profilecard/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Yelp: https://yelp.to/wJHJk5cYCv

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@zorigastrobar?si=OHhOYbdHHUe19Ytd

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