PERMITTING, OF COURSE. WELL, IT’S THE END OF AN ERA IN PITTSBURGH’S EAST LIBERTY NEIGHBORHOOD. VENTAS PIZZA MADE THEIR FINAL PIE TODAY AND THEIR DOORS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR GOOD. IN FACT, THE SHOP HAD TO CLOSE EARLY BECAUSE THEY RAN OUT OF PIZZA. THE LINE WRAPPING AROUND THE BUILDING AND DOWN THE BLOCK THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS PEOPLE TRIED TO GET ONE FINAL SLICE. NOW, THE SHOP WAS ONE OF PITTSBURGH’S LONGEST STANDING PIZZERIAS SERVING CUSTOMERS FOR 67 YEARS. YOU CAN’T FEED EVERYONE BUT THERE’S OCCASIONS WHEN PEOPLE WHO ARE SHORT OR THEY DON’T HAVE IT, YOU DO IT. I’M BLESSED TO HAVE THIS, AND NO ONE EVER NO ONE EVER LEFT THIS PLACE ON. AIN’T THAT THE TRUTH? VENTO SENIOR OPENED THE PIZZERIA IN 1956 AND WAS KNOWN FOR HIS CRUNCHY SICILIAN STYLE DAIRY PIES. YET HIS EVER LASTING CLAIM TO FAME WAS A
Vento's Pizza in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood closes Saturday
Al Vento says goodbye to family business that started 67 years ago
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Updated: 6:53 PM EST Mar 4, 2023
The line inside Vento's Pizza stretched from one side to the other on Friday, with customers hoping to get one last slice as the Pittsburgh staple prepares to close on Saturday."We sold about 60 in an hour and a half today, plus our stromboli and all kind of crazy stuff. It's a true testament to the people of East Liberty that they take care of their own, and I'm really happy that they've done that for all my years of business with my family and my dad," said Al Vento, whose late father started the pizza shop 67 years ago.Vento's father also helped to create Franco's Italian Army, which started a 50-year relationship between the Vento family and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Franco Harris.Vento said Harris' passing was a part of his decision to close the pizzeria that has been in the city's East Liberty neighborhood for decades."Franco Harris was with me Dec. 19, and Dec. 20, he died," Vento said. "That took a piece of my father away and a piece of him, so I said to my wife, you know, 'Here today, gone tomorrow. It might be time for me to go.'"Today’s top headlines: Powerful wind gusts cause widespread power outages, damage in Fayette County 4-day workweek already a success for one of Pittsburgh's oldest businessesVento's closed nine hours early when they ran out of food on Friday. The shop will open at 11 a.m. Saturday, a little later than normal, and when they run out of food again, the doors will be closed for the final time.But if you think that means Vento will give out their sauce recipe..."Never," he said. "It goes down with me."
PITTSBURGH — The line inside Vento's Pizza stretched from one side to the other on Friday, with customers hoping to get one last slice as the Pittsburgh staple prepares to close on Saturday.
"We sold about 60 in an hour and a half today, plus our stromboli and all kind of crazy stuff. It's a true testament to the people of East Liberty that they take care of their own, and I'm really happy that they've done that for all my years of business with my family and my dad," said Al Vento, whose late father started the pizza shop 67 years ago.
Vento's father also helped to create Franco's Italian Army, which started a 50-year relationship between the Vento family and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Franco Harris.
Vento said Harris' passing was a part of his decision to close the pizzeria that has been in the city's East Liberty neighborhood for decades.
"Franco Harris was with me Dec. 19, and Dec. 20, he died," Vento said. "That took a piece of my father away and a piece of him, so I said to my wife, you know, 'Here today, gone tomorrow. It might be time for me to go.'"
Today’s top headlines:
Vento's closed nine hours early when they ran out of food on Friday. The shop will open at 11 a.m. Saturday, a little later than normal, and when they run out of food again, the doors will be closed for the final time.
But if you think that means Vento will give out their sauce recipe...
"Never," he said. "It goes down with me."
