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Typical of the early restaurants is this one in Clintonville. Taken around 1925, this photo shows the proprietor, Theodore Stefanovich, standing behind the glass case. He called his place "Theodore's Lunch." Like most owners, he employed relatives to help out. Workers behind the counter are L. to R.: Kostandina Stefanovich, Anna Stefanovich, Angelina Stefanovich, Peter Stefanovich, and Vasilika Stefanovich. Though small and modest, these businesses often supported two or three families.

How did the early Greeks know anything about starting a business? Jim Duros recalled that those were the days when this was truly a free country. Permits were not re- quired; there were no inspectors, no fees. You could rent a small store space, set up a few tables, cook up some food in the back, and you were in business. Entrepreneurs abounded. Some bought truckloads of watermelons or produce and sold it for profit. Another got a big car and started a "coach line" to Chillicothe. Soon he added a second and a third car. People worked long hours and six or seven-day weeks.

Even though Columbus was in the North, segregation was practiced at eating establishments. The Tony (later changed to Petsef) brothers had a divided restaurant/pool hall with separate entrances for blacks and whites. All restaurants began as white restaurants, but with changing neighborhoods they accommodated both black and
white customers.

 

The Crystal Restaurant, owned by the Karvasales family, opened in 1920 at Frambes and High. Behind the restaurant was a barn that was converted into a gym. There the Karvasales brothers learned to box and became outstanding athletes.

Being in businesses that required daily contact with the public, these people were forced to communicate in English. While the children were learning fluent English at public school, they heard a different variety of speech at home. They could lapse from English into Greek very quickly, but their parents had greater difficulty. Thus a special Gringlish" evolved which everyone readily understood.

A boy would be sent sto bekkery for some stromberries pie. On his way back he'd stop at the groceria and get hamanzomilk navalli sti fritzitera. He might take an extra quotti for a milsekki or an ice creemy If it was muddy outside, he'd be warned to wear
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