Vinny’s Closes After 27 Years in Clarion

| October 31, 2018

CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – On Tuesday, October 30, the doors were locked and the lights turned out for the last time at Clarion’s iconic Vinny’s Pizza and Family Restaurant.

(Pictured: Vinny and Gisella LoPresti)

ExploreClarion.com caught up with owner Vinny (Vincenzo) LoPresti on Tuesday afternoon just as he prepared to close up for the last time and say goodbye to the business he spent so much of his time and energy bringing to life.

LoPresti, who made the decision to retire and sell the business earlier this year, said the last day was not easy.

“I was not expecting this end. I was expecting it to be a different way, but it’s kind of sad,” LoPresti said.

Vinny’s Pizza and Family Restaurant on Main Street in Clarion, which opened in 1991, has been a favorite local eatery since its inception, but LoPresti believes it was his “buck a slice” deal during the annual Autumn Leaf Festival that really made it take off.

“I think that Vinny’s Pizza became an idol in Clarion and became very famous for our buck a slice. That was my commitment to have, even though now everything costs more money than 27 years ago, I still had it for a buck a slice, and I believe that next year it is going to be missed,” he noted. “There aren’t going to be any more lines out in front of Vinny’s Pizza.”

During his time in the restaurant business, LoPresti has also helped family members open other pizza restaurants throughout the local area. At one point, there were pizza restaurants in New Bethlehem, Marienville, DuBois, Tionesta, Oil City, and Knox, all with connections to Vinny’s.

“My sister owns a pizza shop, my brother owns a pizza shop, my nephew owns a pizza shop, my niece owns one, and they all came to me. It’s all attached to Vinny’s Pizza,” LoPresti said. “There was a time that we had fun, and it was nice.”

LoPresti noted that leaving the restaurant behind is going to be difficult for him, as well as his family.

“I raised my kids here. I spent 27 years doing the same thing 24/7, and then tomorrow I have nothing to do.”

While the restaurant will be changing ownership to brothers Ron and John Pacsai who LoPresti says plans to open a new bar and grill business, LoPresti is less certain about his own future.

“I think I’m going to move on with things. It might take me about three or four months before I think about what I’m going to do with my life. For the next three or four months, I’m just going to enjoy.”

He currently plans to stay in the area and spend some time with his grandchildren, but beyond that, he doesn’t have any particular plans for what he’s going to do next.

“I don’t really know, I’m just moving on,” he said.

While Vinny has decided to say goodbye to the pizza business, he says he certainly isn’t going to forget the community that embraced him and his business for so many years.

“I thank the community because they are the people that supported me for all these years. Customers, I understand they’re going to miss my pizza, they’re going to miss my spaghetti or whatever, but they’re also going to be missed.”

RELATED:

A Slice of Main Street May Disappear with Sale of Vinny’s


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