There was only ever one George at the sandwich shop. But everyone who came after him at the storefront on Ninth Street has inherited his name, too. The original George, who came to America from Greece in 1908, slung tripe and veal and barbecued beef tongue sandwiches out of a butcher basement until 1936, when he opened George's Sandwich Shop. He painted his prices on cardboard signs, along with his slogans:

"Once You Try Them, You Will Buy Them!" "Sandwiches You Will Like!" These slogans are more effective if you imagine them in George's thick Greek accent, said Jon Vellios, 29, his great-grandson, and these days, the fifth George. Jon took over last year, after tragedy struck the sandwich shop.