Donatelli’s Italian Food Center will soon bid farewell to Pittsburgh’s Little Italy
Troy L. Milliron
2 min read
RUSSELL DONATELLI, PICTURED IN MARCH AT THE BOUTIQUE WITH A FISH SANDWICH | PHOTO VIA DONATELLI’S FACEBOOK PAGE
It’s the end of the road for a Bloomfield staple.
Donatelli’s Italian Food Center on Liberty Avenue has served Pittsburgh’s “Little Italy” community for nearly a century, but the 90-year-old business is set to close in August.
Its owner, Russel Donatelli, said in november that he was looking for a new generation of workers to take over the workshop and continue the legacy his family had built there. Her father, Paul, died in 2015 and her brother, Paul Jr., died the following year; without them, Russell said the workload had become unbearable – a problem exacerbated by the pandemic and the resulting labor shortage.
And so the search for a buyer began. But no one was biting.
“Unfortunately, we have been unable to find someone to buy our business and continue the tradition of serving the people of Bloomfield and the greater Pittsburgh area our delicious homemade Italian cuisine,” Donatelli wrote in a statement on the store. website.
Therefore, he wrote, the shop will close in the coming weeks.
“We will continue to make homemade pasta, ravioli, sausage and biscotti until we close the doors, which should be August,” he continued.
There had been a few potential buyers over the past few months, but ultimately no deal was struck. There’s no word yet on who or what might move through space once he’s gone, if any.
In a neighborhood once densely populated with family grocers and family businesses, few Italian specialty shops still hang. Donatelli’s was one of the few original Italian-American companies in Bloomfield. For those still looking for Italian fare in the neighborhood, Merante’s, Linea Verde Green Market, Dan Cercone Barber Shop, Pleasure Bar, and Bloomfield Groceria are still open.
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on small businesses and the restaurant industry, and stores like Donatelli’s have been hit with a double whammy.
The exact closing date has not yet been set, but the shelves are not replenished. When inventory runs out – likely within the next two weeks – it will mark the official end of the business.
“On behalf of the Donatelli family and all of our current and past employees, I want to thank you for your support of our store over the years,” Donatelli said.
