A few years later, he would meet his wife, Anna, and the two are celebrating 46 years of marriage.Įven as he observes 60 years in the restaurant business, his work ethic remains that of a much younger man. It hurt when my friends would come in to eat after a dance or party and I would be working.”īut it wasn’t all work for Diana. I missed out on a lot of things back then. “And because I was still in school, I worked a lot of nights and weekends. “Boy, we put a lot of hours in,” he remembered. His dad taught him plenty of lessons about running a dining room, but he also learned a hard truth - it’s not an easy life. He began working at his father’s restaurant, O Solo Mio, when he was 15. Sal, too, would find Brooklyn to his liking after being introduced to the food industry. “She loved the city and that way of life.” “She just couldn’t handle the slower pace,” he reflected. Just two years later, however, Sal’s mom, Enza, longed for more of an urban setting and the family packed up again, this time venturing to Brooklyn, N.Y. Naples, Italy, would become only a memory as the Diana family assimilated into a new home in Beaver County. A glass blower by trade, Dominic jumped at the chance to start a new life in the United States. in Rochester, which was run by his brother, Sam. He was 11 when his father, Dominic, heard about an opportunity at the Venetian Glass Co. That’s what led Sal Diana and his family to America in 1951. Jaqueline will take over eventually, but I don’t want to rush it and put too much pressure on her.” “I think I got another 30 years at this,” Diana joked. Jaqueline is now the manager and, at age 38, is poised to take over the business - around 2046. All three of his children - Nicole, Dominic and Jaqueline - worked at the restaurant while growing up. “My dad worked for Sal when he first opened at the mall,” Deltino remembered. Deltino began working at Pizza Boys in Chippewa in 1980. He can get away with razzing Diana because he’s been part of his restaurant family for more than 35 years. He don’t remember nothin’.”ĭeltino, 54, is the general manager at Sal’s. Just yards away, he also took ownership of a new restaurant called Humphrey’s, which remained a mall staple until 2009.ĭeltino wasn’t quite sure that the first year for those restaurants was 1990. Both operated until 1990, when Diana chose to go in a different direction.ĭespite working non-stop to build up his clientele at Sal’s, he would partner with Michael Carnright to open a new pizza shop in the mall’s food court and call it Anthony’s Pizzeria. People loved to watch us make the pizza.”ĭiana capitalized on the popularity by opening another Pizza Boys shop in Chippewa Township in the late 1970s. “Sometimes, the dough would get stuck on the sprinklers in the ceiling and everyone would laugh. “We would toss the dough high into the air when we made the pizzas,” he remembered, waving his arms for emphasis. “We had to start showing them how to eat it right.”ĭiana also would show off a bit for mall customers who happened by his shop. “People weren’t used to the New York style,” Diana noted. While it’s difficult to verify that claim, there’s no doubt local residents developed a taste for the thin slices covered with fresh toppings when Diana opened his Pizza Boys shop at the Beaver Valley Mall in 1973. This guy brought New York-style pizza to Beaver County.” “This guy right here,” said John Deltino, wrapping his arm around Diana. He smiled and waved to the little girl again. “People tell me all the time that I brought a taste of Brooklyn to Beaver County.” He greets many customers by name as he transports them into a New York state of mind, which was exactly the plan when he opened Sal’s in 1985. On this day Diana, now 75, is sporting a gray V-neck sweater and blue jeans. “How ya DOIN’?” Diana asked a young mother who arrived for an early lunch with her little girl. He’s taking a break from the day’s prep work to chat with a visitor.ĭespite living in Brighton Township for more than 40 years, remnants of a New York City accent filter through the conversation. “It” is a greeting from owner Sal Diana, who always seems to be buzzing around, shaking hands, kissing cheeks, delivering hugs and joking with his customers.Īs his staff vacuums, makes phone calls, sets the tables and zips past in a blur of activity, Diana sips black coffee from a clear mug. Each was the “It” girl or guy in their heyday. “It” is the art that lines the walls of the intimate eatery on Darlington Road, just across from the Beaver County Airport. “It” is the magnetic aroma of homemade sauce, garlic, pizza cheese and freshly baked dough that overwhelms the senses. Two thoughts spring to mind when entering Sal’s Ristorante and Bar.
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