Story and Photos by Erica D’Arcangelo
I grew up in a pizzeria. My first memories are sitting on a flour-dusted floor, pizza crust in hand, surrounded by my family, who all worked there at one time or another.
My childhood was typically “Italian American.” We gathered around the table every Sunday after Mass. Food was our love language, and our business was much more than four walls and a cash register. It was something held together by tradition, genuine love, hard work, and staying true to your goals.
My grandfather was an immigrant from Abruzzo, Italy, and a coal miner. Forced to quit school at twelve, he worked in the harsh conditions of the Western Pennsylvania mines. Pizza-making never left his heart, and in 1960 he finally returned to his roots, opening an Italian market that soon became the start of our family pizza shop in Windber, Pennsylvania.
The Second Generation of Pizza Making
After thirty years of serving the community, we lost my grandfather in 1999, and my dad stepped up to run the pizzeria. From his days as a championship basketball coach to his steady hand in managing the business side, he taught me that running a pizzeria comes down to one thing: caring for people. Through his eyes, I learned foundational lessons about business that no textbook could ever teach me.
My mother managed our shop’s day-to-day for more than two decades, instilling her own beautiful lessons along the way. As a master gardener, she nurtured everything from the ground up. She brought an effortless grace to the dining room, setting tables with flowers freshly cut from her garden and welcoming our Friday regulars with warm, homemade bread and fresh jam, breathing a special life into the place.
Together, my parents showed me that the real heart of a business lives in two places: the quiet attention you give to the smallest details and the genuine care you extend to everyone who steps through your door.
Anchor Everything in Your Family’s Journey
A business comes alive when people can feel that heartbeat behind it.
As I shared in my book, A Story About Pizza, my grandfather, Pietro, started working as an adolescent to support his family. Years later, he and my grandmother opened D’Arc’s Market, a neighborhood store where everyone who walked in the door was treated like family.
The pizzeria itself blossomed thanks to our dear upstairs neighbor, Pearl Leonardis. Pearl had the wonderful idea to make Abruzzi-style pizza for the hardworking women at the Best Form Sewing Factory down the street. My dad, just seven years old at the time, vividly remembers helping my grandfather load up foil-wrapped slices and cold iced teas, selling them for 10 cents a slice right out of the back of the family station wagon.
That simple act of serving neighbors grew into a 65-year legacy business. When you share your authentic journey with your community, your customers don’t just order a meal. They become part of your family story.
Celebrate What Grows Around You
Long before hyper-local sourcing became a marketing strategy, my parents simply leaned into the beauty of what (and who) was right outside our doorstep.
In the middle of a warm Pennsylvania summer, our most beloved creation wasn’t fancy or complicated; it was a fresh tomato-basil pie. Mom grew fresh basil in pots right outside the back door of the shop and harvested loads of tomatoes and peppers from her garden, while my dad cooked the pizza to perfection, drizzling it with Parmesan and imported Italian olive oil.
It was simple, seasonal and made with love. Looking at what is abundant in your own backyard or collaborating with local growers doesn’t just elevate your menu. It connects your kitchen directly to the land and community you serve.
Choose Community Over Competition
In small towns and tight-knit neighborhoods, there is a beautiful power in lifting each other up.
The East End of Windber was a tight-knit Little Italy where every shopkeeper looked out for one another. My father always taught us that community harmony came first. At D’Arc’s, we took immense pride in our pizza, homemade focaccia, porchetta, and Aunt Rose’s meatballs. We knew our neighbors brought their own magic to the street.
Rizzo’s, owned by our family friends right up the street, was always the go-to spot for incredible pasta. Leone’s Market, a block away in the other direction, is famous for their 105-year sub legacy. What we really cherished was creating a cohesive community.
Practice Creative Stewardship
One of the most inspiring things about old-school Italian kitchens is their deep gratitude for every ingredient. Nothing was ever wasted; everything was transformed.
My dad learned from Pearl and my grandparents that extra dough was a blessing. The little pieces were fried in warm olive oil, dusted with sugar, and placed on the front counter as pizza fritta for a nickel. If we had extra pizza at the end of the night, we dropped it off at the local hospice for the nursing staff and families.
Treating every ingredient with care and creativity isn’t just good for your kitchen’s bottom line. It’s a loving tribute to the effort that went into growing and preparing that food, knowing that someone else may need it.
Lead With an Open Heart and a Full Plate
If there is one lesson my father modeled above all others, it’s that generosity always returns to you.
Whether it was my grandfather slipping extra slices to local teens after a high school football game, or my dad making sure our shop supported every local fundraiser and team that asked, our primary goal was always to give back. My father showed us that when you lead with an open heart, fellowship and warm hospitality, you never have to worry about ad budgets. Your community will wrap their arms around you in return.
Running a pizzeria takes long hours, physical grit and endless patience over hot ovens. But when you ground your work in family values, community appreciation and heartfelt generosity, you aren’t just making dinner; you’re nurturing souls and building a home where everyone is welcome.
Erica D’Arcangelo is a content creator, author, and storyteller specializing in Italian heritage and food culture. Known for developing the viral digital brand for her family’s legacy business, D’Arc’s Pizza, which opened in 1960, Erica is the author of the bestselling book, A Story About Pizza. She has also released a children’s book series on Italian culture and pizza with the titles: Pietro’s Pizza, Pietro’s Pizza Toppings, and Pietro’s Italian Christmas.
Erica is the host of the Pizza Story Podcast, where she interviews family-owned pizzerias, talented pizzaiolos from across the world, and artisans who are keeping Italian culture and tradition alive. Her work centers on the enduring power of family and authentic Italian food. She owns three marketing agencies and has worked in the digital marketing space since 2001. You can contact Erica directly by email at [email protected] or through her website: https://www.astoryaboutpizza.com. You can also download her pizza marketing guide here: A Story About Marketing Pizza Guide or read more of her stories through SubStack. Her new book My Big Loud Italian Christmas is out this October 2026.
