![George Grinos with nephew and co-owner Andrew at Alfredton's Arch Fish Shop, celebrating 50 years of Grinos family ownership in 2021. Picture by Jeremy Bannister. George Grinos with nephew and co-owner Andrew at Alfredton's Arch Fish Shop, celebrating 50 years of Grinos family ownership in 2021. Picture by Jeremy Bannister.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/ef055d45-b241-4d25-9e6a-d8e6bbdc3476.jpg/r0_0_6940_4375_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Greek community - and Ballarat's community at large - is paying tribute to an Alfredton takeaway icon.
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George Grinos was the friendly face behind the counter at the Arch Fish Shop in Sturt Street from the time he arrived in Australia in the mid 1970s, right up until February this year.
"He was just a really generous, warm and calm man. He was always smiling, even in the most hectic times at the shop," daughter Amelia said.
"It speaks to his character. He always looked on the bright side. His glass was always half-full.
"Dad believed there was never a problem that couldn't be solved.
![George Grinos during he period when he worked as a tailor in Greece. Picture supplied. George Grinos during he period when he worked as a tailor in Greece. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/62a83e2e-2990-433b-a1f1-227f0345624a.JPG/r0_2_780_766_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"He always saw life as a gift."
Mr Grinos died on Friday, April 14 - Orthodox Good Friday - the most spiritually significant day of the year for the Greek community.
The 77-year-old's memorial service will be held from 2pm on Wednesday, April 19, at the Greek church he helped establish in Humffray Street North.
![George Grinos before he migrated to Australia in the mid 1970s. Picture supplied. George Grinos before he migrated to Australia in the mid 1970s. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/91f4a574-ccad-4e1f-a11d-4a1f3a1107a0.JPG/r0_0_900_870_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Grinos' story began on February 16, 1946 in the mountain village of Aetos in central northern Greece.
Ms Grinos said her grandmother was too poor to look after her young father and he spent much of his childhood fostered out.
![George Grinos in Agrinio, Greece Picture supplied.
George Grinos in Agrinio, Greece Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/053b6431-5512-4724-9137-a3c8c35108dc.JPG/r0_0_754_1094_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"From a really young age he was very independent and had to support himself," she said.
"In Greece at the time it was compulsory to join the army for a few years.
![A souvenir from George Grinos' paratrooping days during compulsory service in the Greek defence force. Picture supplied. A souvenir from George Grinos' paratrooping days during compulsory service in the Greek defence force. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/c2d81d8f-8676-4db9-befd-8fc92665c60c.JPG/r0_0_536_913_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Dad was a paratrooper and jumped out of planes 20 or 30 times.
"After that he went to a larger town called Agrinio where he worked as a tailor, making suits."
![George Grinos during compulsory service in the Greek defence force. Picture supplied. George Grinos during compulsory service in the Greek defence force. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/66e7790f-2b9e-4158-b0e9-b14d362e3028.JPG/r0_0_609_854_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
NEW LAND
Mr Grinos visited his elder brother Thomas in the 1970s and Ms Grinos said he instantly fell in love with Ballarat.
"He went back to Greece, married my mother Olga and brought his bride to Australia," Ms Grinos said.
"Dad worked for my uncle for a short time and then they went into a partnership.
![George and Olga Grinos during their Greek honeymoon in 1977. Picture supplied. George and Olga Grinos during their Greek honeymoon in 1977. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/cb4c5bb1-1209-4988-ac9d-f72bd03d588b.JPG/r0_0_1281_927_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"The two brothers actually became much closer in Australia.
"Dad didn't really grow up with his family - but in Ballarat they made a really strong connection."
Ms Grinos was born in Australia - as were sisters Julie and Theodora.
"We lived around the corner from the shop - and we also lived right next door to my uncle and his family," she said.
"They had a remarkable working relationship - and a remarkable way of drawing the line between family and work.
"As kids we never saw any bickering or arguments about work. They had a mutual respect for each other.
"After a few years my uncle retired - and my cousin Andrew went into partnership with Dad.
"They've now been working together for 25 years."
![The Grinos family began operating Alfredton's Arch Fish Shop in September 1971. Tom's widow Nikki with George, his nephew Andrew and wife Olga in 2021. Picture by Jeremy Bannister. The Grinos family began operating Alfredton's Arch Fish Shop in September 1971. Tom's widow Nikki with George, his nephew Andrew and wife Olga in 2021. Picture by Jeremy Bannister.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/267b47e6-ef37-4a22-b083-0a3f6d72cbb0.jpg/r0_0_7360_4907_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
FISH SHOP
The Arch Fish Shop celebrated 50 years of Grinos family ownership in September 2021.
The daughters all have early memories of helping in the shop.
"We put the potatoes in an electric peeler, then into the cutter. It would probably take a few hours and it was early in the morning," Ms Grinos said.
"We were called in if it got busy - especially on Thursday and Friday nights.
"I still work there sometimes. Mum also works there.
"It's a family tradition to come in and help.
"I think the shop is going to stay in the family for a long time yet."
In the years before the Ballarat bypass opened in 1995, she also recalled how many Adelaide-bound trucks stopped at the shop, which often closed at 1am.
"Over time, the closing time got earlier. We also stopped selling ice-creams, milkshakes and cigarettes - focusing solely on traditional fish and chips as well as things like hamburgers.
"The recipes they had back then would not have changed."
![Co-owners George and Andrew Grinos at the Alfredton fish and chip business in 2021. Picture by Jeremy Bannister. Co-owners George and Andrew Grinos at the Alfredton fish and chip business in 2021. Picture by Jeremy Bannister.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/d113b45e-a3c3-4c8f-a6ed-767ea39a2741.jpg/r0_393_7360_4531_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
CHURCH AND SCHOOL
In 2021, Neos Kosmos ran a feature on Ballarat's Greek community and spoke to Mr Grinos about the push to set up a Greek Orthodox Church and school at the site of a Ballarat East former Methodist church.
"The community effort was huge. We worked for each other then. The women formed their own association and organised raffles, social events and fundraising meetings," Mr Grinos told the newspaper.
"We sold tickets at our shops and we were so busy promoting it that the Aussies would say, 'Are we building your church?'
"In the early days, before we bought the church building, we would use Catholic churches to worship or travel to Geelong."
The efforts to buy the church, renovate it and build the hall gave the community a focal point.
From the 1970s to the turn of the millennium, children had a Saturday Greek school and were able to grow up with Greek culture as a central part of their lives in Ballarat, Neos Kosmos reported.
![George Grinos in his 20s, before migrating to Ballarat. Picture supplied. George Grinos in his 20s, before migrating to Ballarat. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/cd114eba-6459-4d11-9fc6-2e26dae25e04.JPG/r0_0_889_901_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
RADIO
Mr Grinos also hosted a Wednesday night Greek language and music program on Ballarat community station Voice FM.
"He was connecting with his community and connecting with his roots," Ms Grinos said.
"He did it for the love of it.
"It lasted 20 years and only came to an end when the pandemic hit."
Ms Grinos said her father was also a keen traveller - and had been to the United States, Asia, Europe and Dubai.
![One of the last images of George Grinos. Picture supplied. One of the last images of George Grinos. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/e2b22bae-af12-499e-903f-dffcf52cd941.JPG/r0_0_417_629_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"And he was especially fond of roses and his garden," she said.
"He would always pick a rose from his garden and give it to my mum on Valentine's Day.
"Dad was also incredibly generous.
![George worked in the Arch Fish Shop until he turned 77 in February. Picture supplied. George worked in the Arch Fish Shop until he turned 77 in February. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/fa93a452-a671-4d8e-be64-c4e5003386fe.JPG/r0_0_711_468_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"If someone didn't have enough money for their fish and chips, he would just tell them it was fine and not to worry about it."
Wednesday's funeral will be followed by a gathering at Peter Tobin Funerals.
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