Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

WILKES-BARRE — Ash Wednesday will forever be remembered by the Ricci family.

In the early 1960s, Angelo Ricci opened his Hazle Street pizzeria on the holy day, when many area Catholics abstaining from meat typically sought out pizza and pierogies. It has been a busy day for the business ever since.

On Ash Wednesday this year, the region’s “patriarch of pizza” passed from this life, son Angelo Ricci Jr. said. He was 87.

“He built this up from nothing,” Ricci Jr. said of his father, describing him as a “self-made man.”

“We lost a great guy today.”

Work and family

Ricci Jr. said his father started the business in 1963, purchasing a restaurant formerly called Anita’s, located elsewhere on Hazle Street. Ricci ran the business under the original name for about a year, before renaming it Angelo’s after himself.

Shortly after, Ricci purchased a meat shop at 445 Hazle St., and converted it into a pizza shop. That’s where Angelo’s is located to this day.

The Ricci family is well acquainted with pizza: Ricci Jr.’s son, Bill, took over the original location after the founder’s retirement. Meanwhile, Ricci Jr. owns Ricci’s Pizzeria on Park Avenue, and his brother, Gerry, owns Gerry’s Pizzeria on Carey Avenue.

Each pizzeria owned by the family has roughly the same menu, with Ricci Jr. adding the family members work together to make sure the shops succeed.

The family of pizzerias is perhaps best known for its “sweet sauce” pizza, with sauce that is notably sweeter and less savory than a more traditional pizza sauce. Ricci Jr. says the sauce was originally made by the son of a longtime employee at Angelo’s. When his father added it to the menu, Ricci Jr. said it became a hit.

Ricci Jr. said nothing would be changing at the pizzerias; however, he did say they would be closed Sunday and Monday for his father’s viewing and funeral.

‘Loss for the city’

On Wednesday, business at Angelo’s carried on very much as usual.

Inside, employees were busily making pizzas with a machine-like precision. One employee slapped the dough until it resembled a pie, before passing it off to the next station. Sauce was scooped on, and was passed again.

Cheese, pass.

Toppings, pass.

In what seemed like only 30 seconds, the pizza was slid into the oven and the process started again.

Bill Ricci told a reporter he would typically be working on a day as busy as this, but he needed to take a break on this Ash Wednesday.

He remembered his grandfather as a caring man who would do anything to help the people he loved.

Ricci was a Korean War veteran, Bill said, and always tried to help people in the city he called home — one of the pizzeria’s employees was heard describing Ricci’s death as a “loss for the city.”

“He would help the fire department, give them pizza on Christmas,” he said. “If you were short a few cents, if you asked, he would never really say no.”

Bill said his grandfather was given the key to the city by then-Mayor Tom Leighton in recognition of the pizzeria’s 50th anniversary.

But it’s not just the pizza Bill wants his grandfather, who he described as a “legend,” to be remembered by.

In all the photos on the walls of the pizzeria, Angelo Ricci could be seen flashing a broad smile, taking obvious joy in feeding the people of Wilkes-Barre.

“I want people to remember him by his smile,” Bill said.

Angelo’s Pizza is seen on Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre. Angelo Ricci, who founded the business in the early 1960s, died Wednesday at 87.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL030719Ricci2-5.jpg.optimal.jpgAngelo’s Pizza is seen on Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre. Angelo Ricci, who founded the business in the early 1960s, died Wednesday at 87. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_ricci-1-1-3.jpg.optimal.jpgAimee Dilger | Times Leader

Photos of Angelo Ricci lie on the counter at Angelo’s Pizza on Hazle Street on Ash Wednesday afternoon. Employees could be seen making pizza with tears in their eyes after learning that Ricci died Wednesday morning at 87.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL030719Ricci1-6.jpg.optimal.jpgPhotos of Angelo Ricci lie on the counter at Angelo’s Pizza on Hazle Street on Ash Wednesday afternoon. Employees could be seen making pizza with tears in their eyes after learning that Ricci died Wednesday morning at 87. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Patrick Kernan

[email protected]

Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan

VideoID: TFALTZYeNBs
VideoType: YOUTUBE
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFALTZYeNBs
Video Embed String:
Video Caption:
Video Credit:
Video Position:

(use the “for files…” link above to associate attached files with this source)