16 FROM THE TOP MUSIC SHOP: A FULL-RANGE MUSIC STORE
from the editor
20
WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN AT WHISTLE STOP ANTIQUE MALL
22 HISTORIC STONE TAVERN’S ROOTS DATE BACK TO 1822
TURN YOUR ATTENTION INWARD
By the time this magazine lands in your hands, we’ll officially be entering the start of spring. However, as I write this, this week has brought balmy, breezy days and chilly wintery days. I am much happier with 60-degree weather because I can take my dog for long, luxurious walks in the evening around sunset, when I can either listen to a podcast or spend some time alone with my thoughts. Taking the time to be with my thoughts is a practice I find important, no matter the season.
In editing the story in this edition that covers Resonate Yoga, Reiki and Wellness Center, I am reminded of the importance of listening to my body’s cues. I am a big fan of embracing stillness and turning my attention completely and totally to myself. Our lives are so hectic, and we receive stimuli from so many sources that it can be hard to find a quiet moment to hear what our bodies are trying to tell us. I try to check in whenever I can to see what my body needs: movement, water, nourishing food or a break. It can be hard to decipher what your body is trying to convey if you’ve spent a lifetime ignoring the signs, working through lunch, pushing through pain and not getting enough sleep. I highly recommend slowing down when you can, even if it’s just for a few minutes in the morning or just before bed.
One popular way to do this is a body scan meditation exercise. The body scan can be as quick or as involved as needed. Find a comfortable position and take a deep breath, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Close your eyes. Start with the top of your head. Notice how your body feels. Gently move down through the body, spending a moment to focus on each part. Where is there tension? Where are you comfortable? Where is there discomfort? Don’t try to change anything; just notice it. This exercise can reduce stress, center your mind and strengthen self-compassion. If this sounds useful, give it a try. Please let me know if you do and if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading. Take care, stay safe and see you in the next edition.
Photo courtesy of Whistle Stop Antique Mall Whistle Stop Antique Mall owner Isabella Vizzuett inside the store
DIGESTIVE HEALTH
Jungmin L. Lee, M.D.
If you’ve been experiencing any of these symptoms, EGD could be the key to uncovering the cause and finding relief.
Jungmin L. Lee, M.D. Gastroenterologist, Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates
Imagine you’ve been struggling with heartburn or discomfort in the stomach, and despite trying different remedies, the symptoms just won’t go away. This is where Upper Endoscopy (EGD) can help. EGD is a medical procedure that lets doctors examine your upper digestive system— the esophagus, stomach, and the beginning of the small intestine. With the help of a thin, flexible tube with a camera, inserted gently through your mouth while you’re under sedation, doctors can get a close look to find out what might be causing your symptoms.
Acid Reflux and the Role of EGD
For many people, the story starts with acid reflux—when stomach acid escapes into the esophagus, leading to heartburn. Some may also experience symptoms like a cough, a feeling of a lump in the throat, or even hoarseness. While acid reflux is common, untreated, it can lead to serious conditions like esophagitis or Barrett’s esophagus, a precursor to esophageal cancer. If acid reflux persists or new symptoms arise, your doctor may recommend an EGD to determine if these more severe conditions are present and ensure you get the right treatment.
Swallowing Difficulty and EGD for Diagnosis
Imagine sitting down to a meal and suddenly feeling like food won’t go down smoothly. This is a common experience for those with difficulty swallowing, a symptom that may be caused by esophageal narrowing, motility (peristalsis) issues, or something more serious like cancer. EGD allows doctors to directly see what’s happening inside the esophagus, identifying blockages, inflammation, or growths early, which is crucial for proper treatment and avoiding serious complications.
Abdominal Pain, Indigestion, and the Importance of EGD
Now consider a different scenario: you’ve been dealing with indigestion—nausea, bloating, or stomach pain that seems to linger. While indigestion often stems from benign causes like diet or stress, sometimes it’s a sign of more serious conditions like gastritis, ulcers, or even stomach cancer. EGD helps doctors rule out these more severe issues, ensuring that any potential problems are caught early and treated effectively.
If you’ve been experiencing any of these symptoms, EGD could be the key to uncovering the cause and finding relief. Talk to your doctor, call 412-232-8104, or visit https://www.pghgastro.com/ to schedule an appointment at Spartan Health Surgicenter with the specialists from Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates
Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates: 2589 Boyce Plaza Road, Suite 5 Pittsburgh PA 15241 • 412-232-8104 office
Spartan Health Building 100 Stoops Drive, Suite 280 Monongahela PA 15063 • 412-232-8104 office
Serving the Mon Valley since 2005, Spartan Health Surgicenter is a free-standing, Medicare certified, Joint Commission accredited, ambulatory surgery center located off of Coyle Curtain Road in Carroll Township.
Spartan strengthens the convenience of health care in the Mon Valley Community by providing greater comfort, more privacy and a relaxed environment for outpatient surgery center patients.
Podiatry: Khoi Vo, DPM
Colon/Rectal: Steven Esser, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery: Vincent Ripepi, DO
Patrick McCullough, MD
Justin Zenner, DO
• Easily accessible from Toll Hwy 43, I-70 & Route 88
• Accept Medicare and most insurances
• Experienced physicians, nurses and anesthesiology staff
• State-of-the-art equipment and procedures
• Joint Commission Accredited
• FREE and convenient parking
• Comfortable waiting area for families
SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
• Ophthalmology (Cataract, Glaucoma, Corneal)
• Pain Management
• Gastroenterology
• Orthopaedics
• General Surgery
• Podiatry
MEDICAL STAFF
Ophthalmology:
Aaron Wang, MD
Thomas Findlan, DO
Angela Gauthier, MD
Nisha Dhawlikar Gosai, MD
Charles Kent, MD
Anagha Medsinge, MD
Julia Polat, MD
Patrick Garman, M.H.A. Executive Administrator
Patricia Monaghan, R.N. Director of Nursing
Vincent Ripepi, D.O. Medical Director
General Surgery: Prakorb Isariyawongse, MD
Pain Management: Anthony Cuneo, MD
Gastroenterology: Nicholas Bellicini, DO
Mark Cedar, MD
Jungmin Lee, MD
Lisa Oliva, DO
Theresa Schuerle, DO
Bridger Clarke, MD
Xuong Lu, MD
Resonate Yoga, Reiki and Wellness Center wants to bring you peace
By Michele Gillis
Photos courtesy of Resonate Yoga, Reiki and Wellness Center
In today’s world, it can be difficult to meditate or be alone with one’s thoughts due to the many distractions.
Resonate Yoga, Reiki and Wellness Center offers a solution to this dilemma with a sensory deprivation pod where clients can float for a set amount of time in 98-degree water filled with 1,800 pounds of Epsom salt, which makes you float.
“Float therapy, also known as sensory deprivation, is a restorative experience that engages both your body and mind,” said Christine Pakish, owner of Resonate Yoga, Reiki and Wellness Center. “By floating in our pod filled with warm, salt-saturated water, you can achieve a state of deep relaxation and calm. This environment eliminates distractions, allowing you to connect with your inner self and explore a meditative state that promotes stress relief, improved focus and enhanced creativity.”
Pakish’s son introduced her to floating. Although her first experience was intimidating, she tried again and loved it. She knew she wanted to share that experience with her clients when she opened her own studio.
“Now, I set the pod for three hours, and I truly float anywhere between two and three hours every Sunday when we close,” said Pakish. “I am an emergency room nurse, so I am 100 percent never stopping. The pod reduces your anxiety and decreases your stress. I’ve had back and neck surgery, and it takes all that pain away. It just makes you anti-gravity, and you don’t do anything but float because of the salt.”
Pakish said it also helps purge mental stresses while inside, and the focus upon exit is incredible.
The float pod also has double capacity, so clients can do couple floats, which can increase their connectivity with their partners.
Some may wonder how the float pods are disinfected. Pakish said they are cleaned by filtration with ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide. Clients shower before and after entering and exiting the pod.
The pod has lights that can be turned on or off, and Zen music can be played. The lid closes but can be left open or cracked. Since the water is only 2.5 feet deep and set to body temperature, users often report they don’t know where their body ends and the water begins. The experience is all-encompassing, providing weightlessness, which relaxes every muscle and takes all the stress and tension off the body.
“Meanwhile, you are relaxing, so you are clearing your mind which reduces your stress which decreases anxiety which helps with depression,” said Pakish. “So it gives you dopamine hits, decreases your cortisol levels, decreases blood pressure and regulates your insulin levels. If you are diabetic, it can help with that. The only contraindication that we don’t want people to float is if they have low blood pressure or are in the first trimester of pregnancy.”
Pakish recommends floating once every other week when starting. A single 60-minute float costs $70. A 60-minute couple float costs $125.
When she returned to the Mon Valley area after being gone for seven years, she was on a healing journey and found there was nowhere to go for spiritual healing in the way she needed.
She decided she needed to take her healing into her own hands and open a place to give her and others what they needed, so she opened her studio in November last year.
“There wasn’t anywhere to go that provided a community like I needed,” said Pakish. “I found, while I was away, how impactful and empowering a community is. So, I wanted to bring not just a yoga class, but impactful yoga classes, building that together, coming together, building a community, having self-love, self-appreciating and doing the work on ourselves together.”
Bringing her dream space to fruition was not as easy as she had hoped. The space she found was very dilapidated, with wires hanging from the ceiling. But, Pakish said she loved it and could see her vision in it. It took her six months to gut and completely renovate the space. It is industrial, so it has an open ceiling concept in the yoga studio. They also had to tear down and add walls, doors and showers to prepare it for business. There are showers in the yoga studio and for the float pods. The yoga studio is 2,200 square feet and can seat 100 people. There is a wellness room for Reiki sessions and another for the float pods.
“I followed the construction updates on Facebook when the studio was in its early conception,” said Ronalyn Apodiakos. “I attended the grand opening, and it has quickly become one of my favorite yoga spots. The space is warm, inviting and beautifully designed to create a peaceful atmosphere. Chrissy has an energy that makes you feel like you have been friends forever, and the sense of community makes each visit a truly refreshing experience.”
The studio’s aesthetic features purple and gray to attract both men and women and encourage them to experience all it offers. She wanted to emulate a feeling of stillness, peace and being in the moment.
“Resonate Yoga, Reiki and Wellness Center is such an
asset to the Mid-Mon Valley area,” said Michelle Popovich. “Not only is the space inviting, beautifully decorated and clean, but it provides an instant feeling of peace and tranquility. Chrissy is very knowledgeable and informative of the services she provides, along with the benefits of each. I utilized the float pod, Reiki and yoga multiple times a week. I would encourage everyone to try them all for the physical, emotional and mental benefits they provide.”
When trying to come up with the studio’s name, Pakish discussed her ideas with a friend and kept saying, “I just want a name that resonates with people.”
“We looked at each other and said that is the name, Resonate,” said Pakish.
The studio also offers healing Reiki sessions in the wellness room as Pakish is also a Reiki Master. She is a practitioner and can also teach Reiki. Reiki is energy healing, and the sessions last about 45 minutes.
The yoga studio offers many yoga classes, including chil-
Right: Christine Pakish is the owner of Resonate Yoga, Reiki and Wellness Center
Below: The float pod offers a unique experience to clear the mind and body of stress
dren’s classes, restorative yoga, trauma-informed yoga, beginner’s yoga workshops, special events, yin yoga, candlelight release yoga and more. It can also be rented out for special events.
“The studio has classes for both beginners and advanced participants,” said Apodiakos. “The added bonus to the wellness center is the float pod and Reiki sessions that are also offered. I truly appreciate the value that Chrissy has provided to the community and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future.”
They also have a tarot card reader, so every quarter, they hold an event with a tarot reading, a 20-minute Reiki session and drinks for their clients.
“They come with their girlfriends,” said Pakish. “It’s like a girl’s night out for $25.”
If you are looking for more endurance and strength, Resonate also has a trainer certified in Diamond Dallas Page Yoga. This high-energy, low-impact experience combines yoga, strength training, dynamic resistance and motivation.
She said the community’s response has been incredible. When she arrives after her day job, the studio is packed, and she is booked for Reiki sessions, yoga classes or floats.
Pakish said she would like to branch out to the school districts and corporations to start incorporating wellness. She would like to help children learn coping mechanisms and breathing techniques.
“If someone would just take one hour a day just for them-
Yoga classes are available in the 2,200-square-foot yoga studio for all levels
selves and the see the impact it will have on their life,” said Pakish. “It’s taking the time and doing it; the change in their life will be so profound, they will start vibrating higher and start getting anything they want. I want people walking out of here feeling beautiful and powerful just for themselves.”
The studio is closed on Mondays. It is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Pakish said that as appointments increase, the studio will increase its hours.
“I am super excited that Resonate has come to town,” said Colleen Gibson. “As an avid exerciser, I’m doing yoga for the first time and am shocked at just how much I am absolutely loving it. I’ve also enjoyed a Reiki session and am very much looking forward to doing a second one very soon. These services offered here are much needed.”
Resonate Yoga, Reiki and Wellness Center is located at 1295 Grande Blvd. in Monessen. For more information, visit resonateyogawellness.com.
Reiki sessions are available in the wellness room
The staff at The Residence at Hilltop continually strives to provide the best quality lifestyle for each and every resident. Our residents truly become part of the family.
This dedication, teamed with a beautiful and functional environment is why neighbors, family and friends throughout the Mononghela Valley and surrounding communities now call The Residence at Hilltop home.
The Residence at Hilltop 210 Route 837 Mononghela, PA 15063
residencyathilltop.com
Plan your future with cfsbank
By Michele Gillis
One of the main things married couples argue about is money.
Getting on the same page about spending habits, financial goals and overall attitudes towards money management early on can help.
Whether you are planning your wedding or just starting as a married couple, cfsbank would like to help couples navigate those first financial decisions to make life easier in the long run.
“One of my favorite things about being a banker is that I get to be there for everybody’s first,” said Danielle Maurer, chief operating and retail officer of cfsbank.
“We help people with their first car, their first home or their first bank account. When people get married, they’re starting their lives. This is just another way to be part of another first.”
Getting married can be one of the most stressful times in a person’s life, but cfsbank offers several products that help focus on planning and not stress about money.
Weddings can be expensive, so the first thing cfsbank can offer is a loan to help pay for the wedding.
“We have unsecured personal loans where you could either do a line of credit or borrow a certain amount of money, like an installment loan,” said Maurer.”
Maurer said those products go up to $25,000.
“We also have a credit card that’s zero percent interest for 12 months, which could be a good way to help pay for a wedding,” said Maurer. “Or if they’re saving for a wedding, we have a lot of different saving products, but probably the most attractive at the moment would be our money market account. It has an interest rate of over four percent. So you’re basically earning what you would on a CD, but it’s not locked in. It’s liquid.”
Maurer said the interest rate is guaranteed for six months, so the account can help people save up before the wedding. It might also be a good place for newly married couples to put the money received as gifts.
After the honeymoon is over, cfsbank can help with combining finances.
“We could help establish you with a joint checking or savings account,” said Maurer. “Our checking accounts are completely free.”
Maurer said cfsbank can help transfer money from other banks and consolidate it all into one place.
“We could help with changing your name on your account, act in an advisory capacity regarding setting a joint checking account to pay bills, setting up a separate account for everyday expenses or however they want it set up,” she said.
In addition to consolidating finances, cfsbank has Certified Professional Financial Counselors in-house who meet with newly married couples to plan for their financial futur
These counselors can help with budgeting, saving, building credit and more.
The bank has several products to assist in buying a home according to newly married couples’ needs.
discounts at the same time.
“We found that the main barrier to homeownership is that people find it difficult to save for the down payment,” said Maurer. “This loan does not require a down payment. Now, you’d still have to pay for your closing costs, but there’s no down payment requirement. You can finance 100 percent of the home’s appraised value.”
Maurer said in order to qualify for the Pathway Home Loan, buyers have to be low to moderate borrowers. However, it doesn’t require private mortgage insurance and has a competitive fixed rate.
Another product they have for first-time home buyers is a First Time Home Buyer Mortgage that offers a discounted interest rate, a five percent down payment with the purchase of private mortgage insurance and a $250 lender credit.
The bank also participates in the First Front Door program, a homebuyer grant program available through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh. The First Front Door program provides down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers.
Maurer shared that customers who are first-time, low to moderate-income buyers could take advantage of all three
“If you are a first-time homebuyer, you can actually double-dip,” said Maurer. “You can get the Pathway Home Loan, take advantage of our first-time homebuyer program so you can get the discounts, and if you qualify, you could reallytripledip and also do First Front Door.” If someone took advantage of all three, they would not have a down payment per the Pathway Home Loan, so the grant assistance (up to $15,000) from First Front Door could be put towards the closing costs. They would also get the discounted interest rate and the $250 lender credit.
“If you are getting married and thinking about buying your first home, those would all be extremely helpful programs,” said Maurer.
Cfsbank is a full-service community bank headquartered in Charleroi and has been an independent and locally managed mutual savings bank since 1935. Cfsbank operates 10 offices, spanning four counties including Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
A new product cfsbank is offering to homebuyers is a Pathway Home Loan.
Let's Advertise
Advertise your business on this page in each Mon Valley Magazine, 6x/year, and tell your story in one of the magazines during the year
For more details, please call Karen Strickland at 412-944-5575 or email kstrickland@observer-reporter.com
For more detail, please call Karen Strickland at 412-944-5575 or email kstrickland@observer-reporter.com”
HAITIAN RESOURCE CENTER OPENING
The Chamber held 2 ribbon cuttings on February 7. The first one was at the new Haitian Resource Center, 501 McKean Ave in Charleroi and is owned by Jimmy Alexandre. They provide many business resources for the public. Visit haitian-resourcecenter.com
RESONATE OPENING & RIBBON CUTTING
The 2nd one was at Resonate, Yoga, Reiki, and Wellness Center in Monessen on 1295 Grand Blvd. Christine Pakish is the owner, she offers a tranquil place where you can take Reiki and Yoga Classes. She also has floating pod sessions. Visit resonateyogawellness.com, for more information.
FROM THE TOP MUSIC SHOP: A FULL-RANGE MUSIC STORE
Story and photos by Dave Zuchowski
Bill and Renee Teck surrounded by guitars in the shop
When it comes to music, you name it, and From the Top Music Shop probably has it.
The Monongahela-based shop specializes in everything from musical instrument sales and repairs to rentals, sheet music, music lessons and even free on-site consultation for the sizing and installation of public address systems. The latter includes amplifiers, speakers, microphones and related equipment.
The husband-and-wife team, Bill and Renee Teck, own and manage the store. Both are musicians and instructors at the busy location, which has seven studios, 12 teachers and around 200 music students.
“The age range of our students is from 5 to 85,” said Bill, who started teaching guitar at local music stores at age 19. “A lot of our students are retirees. Over the years, as I gave lessons, my dream was to start a full-service music store.”
In 2012, the couple realized their goal when they opened their store a couple blocks down from their current location. For the past ten years, their From the Top Music Shop has served the regional music community of the Mon Valley from their present location at 442 W. Main in Monongahela.
Students can choose to take lessons on a broad range of instruments — everything from piano, violin, guitar, ukeleles, drums, voice and other band and orchestra instruments.
The couple also schedules recitals for their students, which include soloists, combos, full bands and vocalists. The public is invited to attend the recitals, and past venues have included local churches, Mingo Creek County Park and the Repepi Winery.
Those interested can check the store’s Facebook page to learn more about the times and venues of upcoming recitals.
Recently, the shop added an early music class for preschoolers between the ages of birth and five. The class, held on the third Monday of each month, involves singing, dancing, playing percussion instruments and listening to the sound of the piano or other instruments. It is offered once a month and costs $5 per child. Those interested should phone the shop to preregister.
Scott and Rosanna Spindler of Monongahela teach the class and have also enrolled their son, Julian, 3, in the sessions.
“I feel that it’s important to get children interested in music at an early age,” Scott said.
To get the word out about the early music classes, the Tecks hung posters around town and posted announcements on Facebook. “We got a lot of response to the classes,” Bill said. Bill stocks the store with musical instruments for sale and rental (there are over 100 guitars and basses in stock) and repairs instruments, including string instruments. He said the most unusual string instrument he ever taught
Rosanna Spindler and son, Julian, 3, get ready for the early music class
was an Appalachian Mountain dulcimer.
The Tecks also perform at various local venues like breweries, wineries and restaurants under the name of Renee and Bill. Sometimes, they add more members to the ensemble, depending on the venue and the availability of musicians.
One room in the shop is equipped with green room technology, which is used to make videos for the students.
The Tecks also schedule a Monday evening rock class for students who take lessons at the shop.
As the only full-service music store in the area, Bill said the internet is his primary source of competition.
“I feel that we provide a special and much needed service to our community,” he said. “I feel it’s also important for the public to come into local stores like ours to keep local businesses alive and ongoing.”
From the Top Music Shop, located at 442 W. Main St. in Monongahela, is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, phone 724-258-6002 or visit fttmusic.com.
Above: Renee Teck at the piano in one of the shop’s studios
Below: Bill Teck plays a guitar in the shop
ALLABOARD!
What’s old is new again at Whistle Stop Antique Mall
If you’re a fan of all things vintage and antique, then there’s a new destination you should put on your list: the brand new Whistle Stop Antique Mall at 205 Main St. in New Eagle.
“The building that we’re in, my grandfather bought that back in the early 70s,” explains Isabella Vizzuett, the owner and driving force behind Whistle Stop. After the company, which had been a longtime tenant there, opted to move production overseas, the building stood vacant for about a decade. Vizzuett says she, her mom, Sherri, and her sister, Olivia, were pondering whether to rent or sell it but then came up with a completely different idea.
“We’ve always been people who like to go to all the estate sales, thrift stores, antique malls, everything. We thought this building would be the perfect place to have an antique mall for vendors who have smaller items. It’s been over the past two years that we’ve been working on this, and we really love it.”
That’s how the Whistle Stop Antique Mall came into being, with the grand opening this past Feb. 1. “My mom and sister love to go to little flea markets,” says Vizzuett. “We thought, let’s put our little dream scenario right here on the corner and have everything that we like to do all in one area.”
Plenty of space
To get started, the trio advertised extensively on social
By Kristin Emery
courtesy of Whistle Stop Antique Mall
media and took day trips to various antique fairs and markets to recruit vendors.
“We saw their space and really liked the type of things that they sold, we talked to them about what we’re doing to see if they had any interest in being a vendor here,” Vizzuett says. “There are a lot of vendors here who have been doing this their whole life and others who are brand new to it. Some have a whole basement, garage or attic full of collector’s things that they’ve kept over the years and are looking to start a little booth to get rid of some things.”
She designed the antique mall as one large space with different vendors mapped out depending on the type of items, genre or style. You’ll find all sorts of items from dishware to lamps to furniture, decor and even vintage signs. “I’ve even thought about myself maybe putting in a vintage clothing area,” Vizzuett adds. “Me and my sister might work on that together.”
Staging a comeback
How does a 26-year-old who grew up in nearby Monongahela find herself so fascinated with items that are older than she is? “I see people my age talking a lot online about how they wonder, okay, this picture frame, where has this been in the country? Who owned this?” says Vizzuett. She says antiques seem to be making a comeback in popularity with the younger generation and people of all ages after somewhat of a decline in the early 2000s. “It makes me really happy to see the type of customers that we’ve had come in. I think that it’s really coming back. It’s probably a 50/50 mix of younger
Photos
Whistle Stop Antique Mall owner Isabella Vizzuett inside the store
people my age and older people. It’s a huge mix. The amount of young people that come in here and get loads of things … they say they’re redecorating and there’s just so much more character here.”
Pennsylvania is a huge hub for antiques, and the mall has already had customers from Ohio, West Virginia, Eastern Pennsylvania and several other states. “They specifically come to our area because they know it’s saturated with antique malls and stores,” she adds. “Our area has a bigger appreciation for antiques than a lot of the rest of the country, I’d say.”
Once spring rolls around, she’s planning to start a one Sunday per month outdoor flea market in the parking lot with booths for local crafters’ wares, handmade pottery and some food vendors. For now, she’s enjoying running the Whistle Stop with occasional help from her mom and sister. “We’re so tight knit, we’re just all in on everything together and helping each other out,” Vizzuett says. “I’m the one down there running it and everything, taking care of it. But we’re very close helping each other out, that’s just the way we’ve always been.”
The Whistle Stop Antique Mall is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m For more information, visit whistlestopantiquemall.com.
Historic stone tavern’s roots date back to 1822
Story and photos by Dave Zuchowski
Aclose look at the exterior of the handsome stone building at 384 Old National Pike in the Malden neighborhood of Centerville Borough reveals a completion stone of 1822. Built as a tavern to service people passing by on the National Road, another section on the eastern side of the building was later added to the original structure in 1830.
The business plan for the new addition was to take advantage of the increase in the number of travelers passing by, especially after the federal government completed the road to Vandalia, Illinois, in 1831. Owner John Krepps lent his family name to the building, which became known as the Kreppsville Tavern.
Krepps also built the adjacent stone stable to house the livestock of overnight drovers and tavern patrons.
Ten years after Krepps died in 1845, the railroad from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh came through, and Krepps’ widow sold the tavern and surrounding 220 acres due to diminished patronage and traffic along the road. The tavern then changed hands several times until Tony Paci leased the stable in 1962. Brownsville Construction had converted the stable into a restaurant in 1937.
Soon after leasing the restaurant, Paci used the chicken
wings he was given by Albert Giles, the owner of the adjacent Groceryland food market, who usually tossed them out into the garbage. That was the prevailing idea about the worth of chicken wings back in those days. With his gifted windfall, Paci struck on the idea of deep frying them and serving them with butter and garlic sauce.
According to his grandson and current owner, Todd Fisher, Paci’s flippers, as he called them, actually predates the Buffalo wings at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. While the New York restaurant claims to be the birthplace of Buffalo wings, Fisher likes to refer to a Paci’s menu from 1963 mounted on a restaurant wall that lists flippers as one of its food items. The date precedes that of the Anchor Bar claim by one year.
The adjacent tavern, which had been vacant for 35 years, was restored in 1991. This included adding a new roof and rebuilding the chimneys.
Three years later, Tony Paci died, leaving the property to his four children. In 1999, Tony’s daughter, Rose, bought the property from her siblings and continued to live in the house/tavern and operate the adjacent restaurant.
In 2016, Todd Fisher, Paci’s grandson, and his wife, Diana, purchased the property and took over the restaurant’s operation.
Todd Fisher Jr., Diana Fisher and Todd Fisher Sr. stand outside the tavern, now used as a residence for Rose Paci
“There’s still a lot of the historic structure that remains intact,” Fisher said. “Like the original stone and wooden beams and tables from the Kaupp (Cuppie) restaurant era.”
Paci’s menu features Italian and American fare but has expanded since Fisher’s grandfather headed the restaurant. Fisher said he heard stories about how the marinara sauce cooked on the stove all day. “If a family member walked by without stirring the pot, they got hollered at,” he said.
Rose Paci, Fisher’s mother, still makes the gnocchi for the restaurant, which prides itself on making everything as in-house as possible. Even the desserts are homemade by a woman in Centerville, whose inventory includes pies, cheesecakes and cakes.
“When we took over, we cooked in the same kitchen used by the previous owners,” Fisher said. “In 2016, we finished a major kitchen renovation.”
While Diana is the kitchen’s head chef, Fisher came up with one of the restaurant’s most popular menu items when he invented ghost pepper soup in 2015. “People went crazy for it,” Diana said. “They would call in and, when they found out it wasn’t on the menu that day, they got angry.”
Since then, the kitchen added steaks topped with ghost sauce and blue cheese, ghost-fredo sauce and ghost bites, which are chicken, beef or shrimp tidbits tossed in ghost sauce and served as an appetizer or a platter.
Each evening, the menu features a dinner special. Tuesday is build your own burger night, Wednesday is quesadilla night and Thursday is build your own pasta night when patrons pick a favorite pasta noodle, sauce and topping. “It’s like an omelet bar for pasta,” Diana said.
The bar at Paci’s features nine different craft beers on tap, which change frequently. Todd, Jr. also has a knack for creating craft cocktails, some of which feature homemade simple syrups. You’ll usually find them listed and described on a board near the entrance to the dining room.
With experience working in construction, Fisher does much of the building’s repairs and renovation. “I now call myself a glorified maintenance man,” he said.
The owners said they plan to remove the bar soon and build a new one. “We’ll do it in phases and hope to remain open during the renovation,” Fisher said.
Patrons often find Fisher’s two sons, Todd Jr. and Tyler, helping out in the restaurant or kitchen. This may be a sign that a fourth generation of Pacis might one day take over the family-run enterprise and add their own touches to the long-standing restaurant traditions.
Paci’s Bar and Restaurant is at 384 Old National Pike in Brownsville (Malden/Centerville Borough). The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, phone 724-785-7113 or visit pacisdiningroom.com.
Top to bottom: Chicken with ghost mac and cheese, a coconut cake and the steakhouse hoagie with homemade onion rings
YEARS
YEARS OF
KEEPING SENIORS INDEPENDENT IN THEIR HOMES.
OF KEEPING SENIORS INDEPENDENT IN THEIR HOMES.
Community LIFE helps seniors confidently and safely live at home with an all-inclusive program and insurance plan. With eight Health and Wellness Centers throughout the region and transportation provided, you can drop by and have a cup of coffee, laugh with friends, and take care of your health all at once. For a community that’s full of LIFE, call 866-419-1693 or visit commlife.org to learn more.
Community LIFE helps seniors confidently and safely live at home with an all-inclusive program and insurance plan. With eight Health and Wellness Centers throughout the region and transportation provided, you can drop by and have a cup of coffee, laugh with friends, and take care of your health all at once. For a community that’s full of LIFE, call 866-419-1693 or visit commlife.org to learn more.
