A pizza shop in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, turned 60 on Saturday, September 7, and local dignitaries, including two mayors, showed up for the birthday bash.
Nicolosi’s Pizzeria, founded in Queens, New York, in 1956, relocated to Phillipsburg in 1964 and hasn’t budged since. Its success is a testament to the power of old-school, no-frills authenticity and longevity. When it comes to Nicolosi’s, if you know, you know. If you don’t, someone will tell you about it.
The two brothers who currently own Nicolosi’s—the founder’s sons—don’t even have a dedicated website or an official Facebook page, and their Instagram page has just three posts, all of which pertain to the restaurant’s 60th anniversary celebration (including a recent Reel that riffs on the opening credits of The Sopranos). Even so, more than 1,000 fans showed up on Saturday, according to Tap into Phillipsburg.
Among the event’s attendees, which drew more than 1,000 pizza lovers, were Phillipsburg Mayor Randy Piazza Jr. and Lopatcong Mayor Bill Wright, plus the Phillipsburg High School band.
Nicolosi’s kept the anniversary party simple, offering a deal that included a slice, a drink and a T-shirt for $5. Otherwise, customers were invited to purchase branded mugs, shopping bags and can koozies, with proceeds donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. By 1 p.m., all of the 750 T-shirts were gone, Tap into Phillipsburg reports, “and people were still rolling in by the carload,” turning the celebration into a standing-room-only event.
One customer, identified only as Mark, said he and his friends used to drop by Nicolosi’s after school for a slice before hitting the nearby Hillcrest Mall. “It’s crazy how much has changed, but Nicolosi’s hasn’t, and that’s why we’re here,” he said.
