Golden Gyros, a restaurant off Lincoln Avenue, has closed its doors after less than one year of business.

Mayor John Inyart said the city would help aid Charleston enterprise in attempts to fill the building’s new vacancy.

“In the grand scheme of things, though, private development and vacant properties are really controlled by the free enterprise system,” he said.

Owners Asma Touhami and Borhen Benkhemis have closed their doors after selling to Mike Lanman, the owner of the Charleston BP station, also off Lincoln.

Touhami and Benkhemis bought the property from Janet McCulloch after an illness in the family caused the former Niro’s Gyros to close.

However, the transition of the vacant storefront slowed under the reigns of Lanman.

The new owner said he was not in any hurry to fill the empty lot.

He said he wants something that will have lasting effects on Charleston, both supported by the community and serving as an asset to Charleston’s economy.

Currently, Lanman is researching possible businesses to take over the store’s vacancy.

He said he is focusing on several different franchises that are food related, because of the building’s equipment and hopes to find a store that will also compliment his filling station.

Lanman would not release any names of the franchises he is pursuing, citing the process is in its early stages.

It could be next year before plans are finalized, he said.

The store has had several inquiries since the sign was put up to fill the vacancy, a sign Lanman believes reflects positively on Charleston’s economics.

Inyart said that all of Charleston’s businesses have a friend in the city and Charleston’s area Chamber of Commerce.

The economic stability of the city is at the forefront of the mayor’s and council’s minds.

“Charleston will help in any way we can to get the storefront filled, including referring companies to the property owners,” Inyart said.

Krystal Moya can be reached at 581-7942 or at ksmoya@eiu.edu.