13 Big Dom's Sub Shop

In 1972, Joe bought thirty-five percent of his brother Dom’s sub shop that came to be known as “Big Dom’s”. At that time it was located on Ontario St. in Albany, New York. After Joe became a part owner, he mastered the expansion of the business into five more locations before 1980, starting on Central Ave. in Albany (1972), then Latham (1975), Troy (1976), Western Ave. in Albany (1977) and finally one in Rotterdam (1978). These sub shops became a part of the Albany culinary culture and each family member had to do their share to help the family business. Every one of Joe and Jan’s kids and even some of their friends had a part time job at one of the “Big Dom’s” at one point or another.
Joe says that he could use all the help he could get. Owning six shops across Albany County is very difficult with only an average of one hundred and thirty full time employees and about another hundred part time employees. Joe recalls the most challenging part of the business was maintaining control of each location with such a slim amount of employees. Although there was a chaotic and tough time while during the company’s expansion period, Joe knows that it was well work it. Due to him and Jan’s hard work, they could afford to send all of their kids to private high schools and colleges. This was very rare in that era and Joe knows he was a little more fortunate than the average American family at that time.

05 The Working World

Joseph Basile has been influenced by his parent’s food businesses since he was a child. This would explain his career path in the culinary arts. After Joe was in trailer sales, he decided to work in his parent’s bakery on Central Ave., Albany. There he learned a lot about the business and how to properly run and food service. Using his experience at the bakery, he landed a job as the Assistant Food Director as the State University of New York at Albany. It was after this career shift that the Basiles could finally get some breathing room financially.


Janet Basile’s working experience was relatively rare for a mother of five in the 1950’s. Once her children began going to school she started a job working at Sears’s department store. While working in the catalogue department, Jan crucially added to the family’s income at a time when it was common for a family to have one source of income. After some time at Sear’s, Jan became a receptionist for a local doctor. Her ability to raise the children and immediately begin working was essential in the financial enhancement of the Basile family.