CELEBRATING 84 YEARS all-in effort from everyone. I would not be where I am today without the things I learned from my dad about how to treat guests, take care of the place, entertain peo- ple and never get complacent. How to constantly tweak things, stay focused and to be good to the people who work for you. He taught me to believe in myself and be ambitious and grow. On March 28, 2023, Angelo's Restaurant will celebrate our 84th year in business. These anniversaries are not lost on me. They are deeply humbling and make me very proud of my family's life's work, literally, the tens thousands of people who earned a living here and for the hundreds of thousands and perhaps more than a million people who have passed through our doors these nine decades. I don't think my dad (and my mom, who passed away March 30, 1997) ever got much credit for their life's Est. 1939 I called Ellis Island years ago to find out why my grand- father's name was not on the passenger list on Genoa in August 2017. The New Yorker with a Bronx accent told me he would look into it and call me back. Truly, I thought I would not hear from him, but within 20 minutes, he called. He said your grandfather was not a passenger on that ship. He called him a "passer." I asked what was that? I was told my grandfather, at 16, 5'6" and 110 pounds, shoveled coal on that ship to gain passage to the USA. remodeled that restaurant at least four times without ever closing a day except for Sundays). I remember in the eighties, we replaced the kitchen floor on two Sundays. The first Sunday, we took out the equipment, tore up the floor, replaced wood and put tile and grout down in one day from 7 a.m. until midnight and then came back at 7 to put the equipment back...the next Sunday was the other half of the floor. He took this kind of thing on all the time and was still there to be behind the bar with a joke and a story lunchtime. My grandfather tried many businesses and went broke several times, but like the spirit that brought him here, he persevered. As luck would have it, he did find the property at 955 W. Chestnut St. to open a small tavern near the steel mills, the paper factories and Rt. 40. The west end of Washington was a thriving neighborhood, and soon my grandmother's cooking for my grandfather's lunch and dinner started bar patrons ask- ing for food...and what we are today was born in 1939. Today, I have worked as an adult in our family's business for almost 42 years. I left my job with the Kent State University Police department and came home to help my fa- ther. I really didn't know what I was getting into. My aunt Carmelina (my dad's sister) and her hus- band Tony DeStefano retired, and my dad bought their interest in the business. I came home to try to learn how to be a business person. My sister Toni was a cook and came along as well. She turned the kitchen around into a cook-to-order kind of restaurant, and we were off and running in a new direction from the years of just spaghet- ti, lasagna, ravioli, fried shrimp and meatballs. This was 1981. My sister left in '87 to pursue a life out west, but I continued to work with my dad. We were together from 1981 to 1992, when my dad and mom retired. From 1950 until 1992, my father, Silvio Passa- lacqua, was everything to this business. He was a bartender, a janitor, a handyman and a host. He was always hands- on, and my mother and aunt ran the kitchen. It was an Serviss Off *2022* BEST OF THE best angelo's SS restaurant work. My da FIRST PLACE Observer Reporter Community Out 1808 724-222-7120 I I learned it all from my dad and mom, and I think I have the kind of en- trepreneurial spirit my grandfather did because moving Angelo's in 2008 was the biggest risk of my life and one that was going to either succeed or I would lose everything I owned including my house! I have been blessed and lucky. Timing is everything they say, and moving Angelo's was also the best risk. If you recall, widening West Chestnut Street took three years, and I don't believe Angelo's at 955 W. Chestnut St would have survived that hardship. I could not have done any of this without my family's support and the support of my wife, Trenna. I could not have pulled any of this off without her. Today, we have a great staff. A very hard-working staff who makes a lot of sacrifices. We are short- staffed like all businesses, and this core group delivers every day, puts in the hours, works to- gether and gets it done. And our customers, who I never call customers, are just the greatest, nic- est people. I refer to them as guests. Our mission is to treat our guests like guests in an Italian fam- ily's home, just home, just like my grandparents did in 1939. Our promise is to keep delivering to you and to keep growing and, of course, to be sincerely honored by your choice to dine with us, and I promise to keep shoveling coal to keep the engine running just like my grandfather did to get to this country. Michael Paragua www.AngelosRestaurant.com CELEBRATING 84 YEARS all - in effort from everyone . I would not be where I am today without the things I learned from my dad about how to treat guests , take care of the place , entertain peo ple and never get complacent . How to constantly tweak things , stay focused and to be good to the people who work for you . He taught me to believe in myself and be ambitious and grow . On March 28 , 2023 , Angelo's Restaurant will celebrate our 84th year in business . These anniversaries are not lost on me . They are deeply humbling and make me very proud of my family's life's work , literally , the tens thousands of people who earned a living here and for the hundreds of thousands and perhaps more than a million people who have passed through our doors these nine decades . I don't think my dad ( and my mom , who passed away March 30 , 1997 ) ever got much credit for their life's Est . 1939 I called Ellis Island years ago to find out why my grand father's name was not on the passenger list on Genoa in August 2017. The New Yorker with a Bronx accent told me he would look into it and call me back . Truly , I thought I would not hear from him , but within 20 minutes , he called . He said your grandfather was not a passenger on that ship . He called him a " passer . " I asked what was that ? I was told my grandfather , at 16 , 5'6 " and 110 pounds , shoveled coal on that ship to gain passage to the USA . remodeled that restaurant at least four times without ever closing a day except for Sundays ) . I remember in the eighties , we replaced the kitchen floor on two Sundays . The first Sunday , we took out the equipment , tore up the floor , replaced wood and put tile and grout down in one day from 7 a.m. until midnight and then came back at 7 to put the equipment back ... the next Sunday was the other half of the floor . He took this kind of thing on all the time and was still there to be behind the bar with a joke and a story lunchtime . My grandfather tried many businesses and went broke several times , but like the spirit that brought him here , he persevered . As luck would have it , he did find the property at 955 W. Chestnut St. to open a small tavern near the steel mills , the paper factories and Rt . 40. The west end of Washington was a thriving neighborhood , and soon my grandmother's cooking for my grandfather's lunch and dinner started bar patrons ask ing for food ... and what we are today was born in 1939 . Today , I have worked as an adult in our family's business for almost 42 years . I left my job with the Kent State University Police department and came home to help my fa ther . I really didn't know what I was getting into . My aunt Carmelina ( my dad's sister ) and her hus band Tony DeStefano retired , and my dad bought their interest in the business . I came home to try to learn how to be a business person . My sister Toni was a cook and came along as well . She turned the kitchen around into a cook - to - order kind of restaurant , and we were off and running in a new direction from the years of just spaghet ti , lasagna , ravioli , fried shrimp and meatballs . This was 1981. My sister left in '87 to pursue a life out west , but I continued to work with my dad . We were together from 1981 to 1992 , when my dad and mom retired . From 1950 until 1992 , my father , Silvio Passa lacqua , was everything to this business . He was a bartender , a janitor , a handyman and a host . He was always hands on , and my mother and aunt ran the kitchen . It was an Serviss Off * 2022 * BEST OF THE best angelo's SS restaurant work . My da FIRST PLACE Observer Reporter Community Out 1808 724-222-7120 I I learned it all from my dad and mom , and I think I have the kind of en trepreneurial spirit my grandfather did because moving Angelo's in 2008 was the biggest risk of my life and one that was going to either succeed or I would lose everything I owned including my house ! I have been blessed and lucky . Timing is everything they say , and moving Angelo's was also the best risk . If you recall , widening West Chestnut Street took three years , and I don't believe Angelo's at 955 W. Chestnut St would have survived that hardship . I could not have done any of this without my family's support and the support of my wife , Trenna . I could not have pulled any of this off without her . Today , we have a great staff . A very hard - working staff who makes a lot of sacrifices . We are short staffed like all businesses , and this core group delivers every day , puts in the hours , works to gether and gets it done . And our customers , who I never call customers , are just the greatest , nic est people . I refer to them as guests . Our mission is to treat our guests like guests in an Italian fam ily's home , just home , just like my grandparents did in 1939. Our promise is to keep delivering to you and to keep growing and , of course , to be sincerely honored by your choice to dine with us , and I promise to keep shoveling coal to keep the engine running just like my grandfather did to get to this country . Michael Paragua www.AngelosRestaurant.com