"You gotta like it," says Tom Panzarella about starting a business, with its workload and long hours.

He should know. Some 22 years ago, the Buffalo, N.Y., native started the Old Fashioned Italian Deli, a neighborhood mainstay at 395 W. Littleton Blvd., now run by his son, Dave.

When someone asks what it takes to go into business, Tom says he always asks them, "Are you healthy?"

"You'd better think, 12 hours a day minimum, six days a week, depending on what business you're in," he says. "And if you're not healthy and you're not strong, you're not going to be able to do it. And the other thing, you'd better like it. Don't just go into it to make money. "

While working over the grill and prepping for the lunch crowd, he reflected on working with his children.

"It's been super," Tom says. "With my kids, I've been able to be their dad, their friend and their boss, all at the same time. And they knew, with the deli, they had to fit in with the other workers, and I had all these people working for me and I expected more from them."

Dave says he and his sister began working with their dad in the deli at about age 12 and 10, respectively.

"Oh, I love it," Dave says, smiling. "I was proud to take it over originally -- he would have ended up selling it probably if I hadn't taken it over. I had a few friends in and out of here for a little while, and that was fun, but as I got older I took things a little more seriously and I actually called him back, because I figured having him here would be a good thing, because he likes talking to people. I really enjoy coming here and working around him -- after all, you only live once."

It's a family thing. Dave says his son, Christopher, 7, also enjoys coming to the deli, and Dave hopes to possibly get his children more involved a little later on.

Family recipes are the standard, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're exactly the same. Dave echoes his dad's story about their spaghetti sauce: "My dad makes spaghetti sauce, I make spaghetti sauce, my sister ... you know, it's all the same basic recipe, but they all taste a little different."

Their collection of Marilyn Monroe images practically fills two walls -- classic poses like Marilyn with her skirt being lifted by the wind from the subway grate -- as well as stand-up cutouts and framed photos. They were all gifts from customers.

Another display board reads "Support Our Troops," listing the names of men and women serving in the U.S. military, many overseas. Anyone can put a name there; one of the dozens written on the board has failed to come home safe.

The deli's menu features traditional items including pizza, calzones and big subs. Some of the sandwich names include the Godfather and the Terminator. Lots of combos, hot and cold, with eight or nine ounces of meat in addition to the fixings. The deli is noted for its hot dogs too. What makes a Buffalo-style hot dog different from a Chicago-style or New York-style? Tom says it's the meat.

Tom says, "We have customers once or twice, but on their third visit, they're our friends, they watch over us, they protect us -- they want to make sure we're going to be here."