A Man with Two Homes

To the locals, he is simply known as George. To the avid Beach Street stroller, he is the creator of a mean Greek salad. And who better to perfect the flavors of a Greek salad than a born-and-bred Grecian?

Originally from the small Greek island of Karpathos, George moved to the Eastern shore quite some time ago with his family. His uncle, Mike, was one of the first of the family pioneers to venture to the States.

To many, the sea enshrouded shores of Karpathos look to be the home of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses. The quaint architectural style of the cozy, white-washed houses and the beachy aroma circulating the streets make for a humble yet vibrant land, rich in beauty and culture. The region’s deep-seeded roots whisper of days when gods and goddesses sauntered the sun-kissed streets in the hearts of men or on the lips of story-tellers. For George, this was home.

Today, the port-side city is still vibrant in beauty and rich in culture and survives very much like any maritime city on the thriving business of fishing. But the changing winds of time have driven many Greeks, like George, to find prosperity elsewhere; specifically on the Eastern shores of the U.S.

While the city of Virginia Beach does not hold quite the same celestial charm that the beaches of Karpathos are known for, some other charm all together has captivated islanders to settle by the bustling streets of Virginia Beach; for George and his family, it was the food business.

“It is easier to operate a business, compared to Greece. It is more efficient, here, to deal with city hall or any public offices … they make it easier for you,” George said.

But before George even knew the difference between a spoon and a spatula, his Uncle Mike was already in pursuit of developing his cooking skills and his knowledge of the restaurant business in the States. He is one of many from his family who has traversed the tepid seas to settle in the Tidewater shores. As a prosperous and seasoned chef living in the sunny state of Florida, George’s uncle ushered in the rest of his family to settle in the States and find their place in the restaurant business.

“[Uncle Mike] was a great chef in Florida, so right away he started teaching us all about restaurants … Our uncle taught us everything,” he recalls.

George immediately took to the profession. When he was ready to start his own endeavors in the food world, George and his family picked up and moved up to the beaches of Virginia. He had a penchant for working with tourists so he opened a shop for vacationers right in the heart of Virginia Beach. “It is more pleasant to work with tourists because they have a good time,” he said. Thus George’s Seafood on the corner of 26th and Atlantic was born.

“It’s hard work, but I believe when you are in the restaurant business you are not supposed to be greedy,” George stated. “I think you cannot be stingy; you have to please the customers.

“Then we realized soon enough that Virginia Beach is for family people; there are mostly families in the summer time. And we adjusted our restaurant soon enough to satisfy families, especially kids.”

George has been settled here for quite some time, 21 years to be exact. But perhaps settled isn’t the best word to describe George’s current status as a Virginian, however. While he is a local resident, he is still very much a resident in his hometown of Karpathos as well.

Six months out of the year George and his family reside right here in the largest city in Virginia. The rest of the year, they pick up and travel back to their hometown of fewer than 7,000 inhabitants. And this is how it’s been for 30 years since he first moved to the U.S. Thirty years as dual denizens; 30 years of living out of a suitcase; 30 years of major jet lag recovery.

While the economy and business opportunities here are superior to those in Karpathos, according to George, these are not the only things in the forefront of his mind. Family members are still in Greece. Friends are still in Greece. It would be so simple to erase his life in Karpathos and continue the journey here in the US, but there is still so much sentiment and important ties connecting him to his homeland that he would rather not tear away from.

If home is where the heart is then George is a lucky man for his heart has two places to settle. “I have property, I have relatives, I have friends, like I do here. So actually, I am split in half … but if I had to give advice to my daughters, I would tell them to stay here.”