ROCKPORT — It's not that easy to see from the road on Route 90 (in the building that formerly housed L.O. Gross & Sons), but Mama's Boys has been open a month and is fast becoming an eatery people are seeking out for sandwiches and pizza.

Mama, aka Vivienne Larmor, is the matriarch of the business. "The word of mouth has been awesome; it's been a nice and steady build," she said. Her five boys range in age from 9 to 17, and they have been an integral part of the business — even in the planning stages.

"A couple of weeks before we opened, I told the boys, we needed a logo," said Larmor. Her son, Keagan, quickly sketched out a Mama sandwich holding hands with her five boy sandwiches and she loved it. "He's like 'Mom, that's just a rough draft.' So, he went and did a nicer one, more refined with color and I said, 'no, I want the rough draft.'" So that's what now appears on her Mama's Boys awning and on her takeout menu.

Each of her sons takes an active role in the business after school and now, during the summer. And every boy gets a sandwich or pizza named after him, which of course, has resulted in a little competition among the brothers. There's Marty, 17 (Marty's Italian Sub), Josiah, 15 (Josiah's Turkey Bacon Panini), Keagan, 13 (The Keaganator), Eoin, 11 (Eoin's Pesto Roast Beef), and Brody, 9 (Brody's Barbeque Pizza).

"Every week they like to brag to each other, 'Oh yeah, I'm selling more of my sandwich,'" she said laughing. Larmor won't say whose sandwich is actually selling the best because she knows that will only ratchet up the rivalry even more.

Larmor has been a part-time math and science teacher for the past 18 years while her boys were growing up, but attributes her love of food to planning for massive family gatherings. "I have a really huge family and by the time we all get together, I'm the one who would do the family entertaining. That's my only background, beside catering. I just love food," she said.

"Part of what I'm trying to do is make really good, healthy food for the community without the exorbitant prices," she added.  For her sandwiches, she uses Boar's Head meats and her French peasant and Italian breads are Borealis breads. She makes a point of trying to get locally grown vegetables and garlic for the sandwich fillers. She has a panini press and each hot sandwich comes out crunchy. As for pizzas, she sells by the slice or by the pie and makes a thin, crispy crust.

"I'm from Long Island," she said. "So we make it New York style."

Besides affordable prices, which she said she has conscientiously kept low for the locals, she also offers gluten-free pizza dough and bread for the sandwiches. "That has been something that people are really excited about.  If people need it, it's pretty hard to find up here," she said.