30, Bucktown
Real-life role: Management consultant
Starring in: When Harry Met Sally
George Nahra, Abercrombie poster boy? Nahra’s family has roots in Syria, Lebanon, and Haiti, and growing up in Barrington Hills, he learned to speak Arabic, French, and English. “I’d slip in and out of all three languages,” he says. “Some kids thought I was speaking gibberish; some started to cry.” Nahra, however, emerged unscathed. After graduating from Elgin Academy and Duke, he found an adventure of a job at Abercrombie & Fitch, where his duties included flying as far as Dubai to scout T-shirt factories and touring college campuses to research what students wore. A few years later, Nahra parlayed that gig into an MBA from the Wharton School.
Name one embarrassing thing you hide when guests are coming over: My three Swiffers. I’m a little obsessive about dusting.
What did you think you’d be when you grew up? A doctor.
Gutsiest thing you’ve ever done? [Telling] my parents I didn’t want to be a doctor.
If you could give someone a talking-to, who would it be? Don Imus.
Who are you a secret groupie for? Erin Andrews, ESPN sideline reporter.
In a dream world, who would you look like? Sean Connery, in the 1960s. Write like? Deborah Pope, my poetry professor at Duke. Dance like? Fred Astaire. Cook like? My mom. And sing like? Ari Hest.
What do you do every day? I’m a coffee addict, and I’m useless before I’ve had my first cup. At night, I almost always have a couple of handfuls of Costco trail mix and two glasses of wine.
Favorite movie hero? The crew from Swingers.
Most quotable movie line? “You’ll get nothing, and like it,” from Caddyshack.
Last movie that made you cry? Old School—crying because I was laughing so hard.
Favorite blog? I haven’t even gotten into YouTube. I’m three years behind every new technology or trend.
Most recommended book? The World Is Flat, by Thomas Friedman.
When you’re alone, who do you play air guitar to? Pour Some Sugar on Me, by Def Leppard. It’s maybe the first CD I ever bought.
What song will be played at your wedding? A type of Arabic song typically played at weddings called a zaffa.
What’s your go-to homemade meal? Frosted Mini-Wheats out of the bag.
Fill in the blanks: Vacations are for sitting, not doing.
You pull a Ferris Bueller and call in sick on a beautiful July day. What do you do? If there’s a Cubs game, I’m going to the Cubs game. If there’s no game, it’s a run on the lake.
How long is too long to spend looking for a parking spot? I’m obsessive about my car, and I will almost always spend time to find a good spot. I’ll park as far away from anything as possible to keep it from getting scratched.
Teacher’s pet or class clown? I was a closet teacher’s pet. But I was overtly the class clown.
Childhood nickname? My mom called me Zho Zho, which is a play on the French version of “George.”
Name one thing you have in your house from your childhood: My violin.
Describe the state of your closet: Very organized. I’m not proud of it. I’ve got all my shirts in one place, organized by color and by whether or not they need cuff links. My non-work shirts and all my jeans are together. All my dress slacks are together. All my T-shirts are together, organized by workout, non-workout, and undershirt.
What’s your power outfit? Velour sweatpants and white V-neck T-shirt. I’m all for comfort.
How much is too much to pay for jeans? $250.
What’s in your pockets right now? Nothing, because the first thing I do when I get home is empty out my pockets.
Have you ever collected anything? When I was young, I had tons of baseball cards and car magazines.
Last time you told a lie? Any kind of lie? I would say seven days.
Last time you Googled yourself? My mom has Googled me. But I haven’t done it for a couple of years.
Worst advice you’ve been given? “Repeat” after shampooing and rinsing. I hate waste.
Do you have any tattoos? No.
But if you did? I’d probably get something to do with my grandfather, who died of Alzheimer’s.
What time is your alarm clock set for? Either 5 or 6 a.m. I like to work out in the morning.
And how many times do you hit the snooze button? Once.
Dive bar or nightclub? Dive bar.
Drinks before 5 p.m.: always, sometimes, never? Sometimes.
What’s your remedy for a tough day? Wine and watching old episodes of Lost.
Fill in the blank: I’d rather have a significant other who can fish than who can afford to buy fish.
What makes someone a Chicagoan? Besides the accent? Grittiness, being a glutton for punishment, patience with the weather, and a love for those cow sculptures.