Sandwich shop has been in business 40 years
By Cele and Lynn Seldon
Lowcountry Weekly
Alvin Ord’s Sandwich Shop, a staple in the Beaufort/Port Royal area since 1983, has had a change in ownership.
But don’t expect much to change anytime soon at the Ribaut Road landmark.
Longtime owners Tom and Marie Lewis sold Alvin Ord’s to Nick Borreggine and his family in June.
Borreggine was so worried about “the new guy taking over the iconic local
spot,” he waited until recently to announce that he had taken over.
“We actually bought Alvin Ord’s back in June,” Borreggine said. “We wanted to prove to the town that we aren’t going to change a thing. We are pleased to carry the torch in the next phase. Hopefully, we will make it another 40 years.”
The relationship between the Lewises and the Borreggine family goes back two decades when Nick first came to Beaufort and opened Panini’s. He leaned on Tom Lewis for help and advice.
Borreggine eventually sold Panini’s and went on to open Port Royal’s Fat Patties in 2012 and Shellring Ale Works in 2022.
“I can honestly say that without Tom, we would not be where we are today,” Nick Borreggine said.
When it came time for Tom and Marie to sell Alvin Ord’s and retire, they remembered Borreggine saying that if ever they were considering closing or selling, he’d like the first right of refusal.
“We couldn’t think of a better person,” said Tom Lewis. “The way he runs his business and treats his employees is impressive. He was the kind of person we wanted to sell the business to.”
So the Lewises passed the reins to Nick Borreggine along with his partner (and father), Nick, and
their wives, Michele and Kathy.
About Alvin Ord’s, Nick Borreggine said, “It’s not just one thing. It’s being a part of the community, giving back, the staff, the homemade bread, the quality ingredients. It is because of these things that it fits in with our business model so well.”
A big part of the success of Alvin Ord’s is clearly the staff. There are six full-time employees — in addition to Marie Lewis, who plans to continue working there for the foreseeable future — who have all been with the shop for 12 to 30-plus years. Mary, Sunny, Ronette, Mollie, Eriko and Lisa manage the baking, the sandwich making, the counter ordering, and the smiles all day long.
“When Tom first approached me, it was a deal breaker for both of us if the women would not stay on,” Borreggine said. “They are all so pleasant, cheerful and gracious.”
“A secret that my grandfather told me once,” Lewis said, “was that if you start a business and give your customer the highest quality you can give them at the best price and with a smile, people will come back.”
And, indeed, people have been lining up for Alvin Ord’s sandwiches for 40-plus years and counting.
This article is an edited version of a larger piece, which appeared in Lowcountry Weekly.
