A Simi Valley sandwich shop dubbed "Helmets" wears its unusual theme on walls that are covered with a collage of black and white pictures of customers wearing a variety of headgear, including motorcycle, bicycle and firefighter helmets.

Keith and Shelby Mashburn and their daughter and son-in-law, Maryl and Josh Lorencz, all of Simi Valley, opened the sub shop on Alamo Street in December.

They are hoping to attract people who can relate to helmets or hats — which they estimate is about 99 percent of their patrons.

"Virtually everyone has a sport they played or are a fan of a team," said Keith Mashburn, who operates the shop with daughter Maryl, while Shelby and Josh have their own careers. "Somewhere in someone's life, there's a connection with helmets."

Hockey, police, Coast Guard and construction helmets that were donated by customers adorn the shop, each with its own story.

"I just didn't want it to feel so corporate," Mashburn said.

Corporate is the last word that comes to customer Dan McKee's mind.

"Helmets is completely different," said McKee, a regular who lives in Simi Valley. "It's unique in that it's catering to the old style of service, something that might be missing from a Subway and Quiznos. It's old school."

The store is customer-oriented and roomy enough for customers to hang out, instead of feeling rushed, he said.

"The pictures generate conversation," McKee said. "One customer will mention a photo to another customer, and it forms interactions, instead of the typical, Hey, don't look at my food, I'm eating.' In a sense, it may establish a stronger community."

Mashburn and the other owners don't worry about nationwide sandwich chains, saying another choice is always good for the masses.

"Competition is good," Shelby Mashburn said. "What people want is variety. People might get tired of Subway."

The store is personal, focused on the community and owner-operated, Keith Mashburn said.

An owner is always at the store, he said, adding that it "will not be an absentee" operation. The shop has four employees.

A retired firefighter and former professional motorcycle racer in "the dark ages," Mashburn has his own connection with helmets. And starting a sub shop was his dream.

When he retired, Mashburn wanted to remain involved in the community. So he approached his daughter, then a teacher, about the idea of starting a business. Maryl Lorencz had enjoyed helping her parents with previous family businesses, including Java Island, a Simi Valley coffee shop, and decided to take the plunge. The family also had operated Mashburn Kawasaki and Awards Specialties, both in Simi Valley.

"It's our own," she said.

Both father and daughter work about 80 hours a week, although Mashburn has handed much of the responsibility off to 27-year-old Lorencz.

"I don't want to be the boss. She's the boss," he said. "When customers come in and ask to speak with the boss, I call Maryl, and they think I'm joking."

So far, running the business has been tougher and more expensive than either of them had thought.

"There's a lot of work to buying the right product and knowing when to buy," Mashburn said.

Although making sandwiches might look simple, there's a lot of work behind the scenes. Lorencz said the most challenging part is monitoring the meats and cheeses to make sure that only the freshest are used. Menu items include hot and cold subs, salads, chips and cookies.

Sandwiches, which come in 8- or 12-inch sizes, range in price from $4.95 to $7.45.

Business startup costs topped $100,000, including $6,000 to $7,000 for epoxy flooring and $20,000 for plumbing. Mashburn designed the store so that customers could view the kitchen, but be "more than a sneeze guard away from the food."

Mashburn expects it to be at least a few years before the store breaks even, although that hasn't stopped him from donating to several community organizations.

The business serves about 120 customers daily.

"We're such personable people that we could sell toothpicks," Shelby Mashburn said. "This is an adventure."