Thursday, November 7, 2024

What’s in a name: The College Delly, Paul’s Deli and keeping history alive

(WYDaily/File photo)
(WYDaily/File photo)

In downtown Williamsburg, a row of restaurant fronts lined by a well-traveled brick sidewalk carries traces of character from decades before.

A red awning accompanies vintage white signs advertising seafood, gyros, strombolis, pizza and subs, bearing the name of the restaurant “Paul’s Deli.”

A former gas station — now a white restaurant with green awnings — sits just across the street. Over the front window, a sign reads “The College Delly” in red lettering.

The corner of Scotland Street and Richmond Road is a trademark part of downtown Williamsburg, featuring multiple restaurants, three of which are owned by local businessman George Tsipas.

But who is Paul? Why is Delly spelled that way?

Tsipas said he kept the original names of area restaurants as he bought them throughout the years. Tsipas and his brother, Peter, bought Paul’s Deli in early 1987 from Paul Romeos.

“We wanted to keep it original, you know?” Tsipas said.

The Tsipas brothers bought the College Delly across Scotland Street in 2010. Tsipas said he never questioned the spelling of the name, but Bobby Lappas, the son of original owner Jimmy Lappas, said his father simply wanted to be different when he opened the business in 1967.

Last, Tsipas bought the Green Leafe, also on Scotland Street next to Paul’s Deli, in 2016. He decided to keep that name, too.

Paul Romeos is shown in a photo taken with the Tsipases' mother. The photo hangs in a large frame on the wall of Paul's Deli. (WYDaily/Sarah Fearing)
Paul Romeos is shown in a photo taken with Peter and George Tsipas’ mother, Amalia. The photo hangs in a large frame on the wall of Paul’s Deli. (WYDaily/Sarah Fearing)

Paul’s Deli

Although Tsipas has done renovations at his restaurants, he has worked hard to preserve the community history of each spot — even framing photos of the previous owners and hanging them on the restaurant walls.

“I like to keep the history of the places going,” Tsipas said.

Paul’s Deli on Scotland Street is notorious for its hundreds of framed photos lining the walls, showing William & Mary sports players, well-known community members and the Tsipas brothers themselves.

The brothers have also hung some photos of the original Paul.

Tsipas said he and his brother owe a lot to Romeos, who took a chance on selling his business to a pair of young men in 1985. The Tsipas brothers managed the restaurant for two years — George was in his mid-20s and Peter was around 30 — before Romeos sold the business to them.

In 2014, when Tsipas opened a second Paul’s location, he decided to keep the name.

“I wouldn’t be where I’m at without Paul,” Tsipas said. “For all my success, at least, my success comes from Paul giving me an opportunity.”

A row of family photos of previous owners are shown above the bar at the College Delly. In the first photo, current owner Dean Tasmouras (far right) sits next to the original Delly owner, Jimmy Lappas, and his father. (WYDaily/Sarah Fearing)
A row of family photos of previous owners are shown above the bar at the College Delly. In the first photo, current owner Dean Tasmouras (far right) sits next to the original Delly owner, Jimmy Lappas, and Tsamouras’ father. (WYDaily/Sarah Fearing)

College Delly

Lappas, the son of the original College Delly owner, said he never questioned the name’s spelling until he asked his mother, Kiki, Thursday.

“My dad wanted to be a little bit unique,” said Lappas, 43. “We were one of the first restaurants to do an oven-hot sandwich. No one served combination sandwiches with a mixture of meats put together, ether.”

The first College Delly opened in 1967 at the corner of Prince George Street, near Amber Ox Public House.

In 1969, the College Delly moved to its current location, which Lappas said was originally a 76 gas station.

In 1986, Lappas’ father decided to retire and move back to his home country, Greece. Lappas sold the business to the Tsamouras family, who still owns the Delly building.

Retirement lasted about three months before Jimmy Lappas decided to move back to America where he had found success.

Later in 1986, Jimmy Lappas opened the New York Deli in Lightfoot, which his son still manages using the same ingredients and business model. Jimmy Lappas died in 2011.

Lappas said Tsipas has helped bring the College Delly back to life.

“George came back and brought it back to life,” Lappas said. “That really put a smile on my dad’s face because it was a staple of Williamsburg.”

Similar to Paul’s Deli, Tsipas keeps photographs of the College Delly’s former owners — the Lappases and Tsamourases — in a visible location near the register.

“The walls in all the restaurants, it all tells a story,” Tsipas said.

Sarah Fearing
Sarah Fearing
Sarah Fearing is the Assistant Editor at WYDaily. Sarah was born in the state of Maine, grew up along the coast, and attended college at the University of Maine at Orono. Sarah left Maine in October 2015 when she was offered a job at a newspaper in West Point, Va. Courts, crime, public safety and civil rights are among Sarah’s favorite topics to cover. She currently covers those topics in Williamsburg, James City County and York County. Sarah has been recognized by other news organizations, state agencies and civic groups for her coverage of a failing fire-rescue system, an aging agriculture industry and lack of oversight in horse rescue groups. In her free time, Sarah enjoys lazing around with her two cats, Salazar and Ruth, drinking copious amounts of coffee and driving places in her white truck.

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