DePiro, 68, longtime proprietor of Pal-Mino’s Italian Village, closed the enterprise doorways Saturday and headed into retirement.

“This is Pal-Mino’s 65th year and my 45th year. It is time to retire,” DePiro mentioned. He lately bought the enterprise to 33 on MAC, which plans to open there someday in early 2024.

DePiro knew from a younger age that he wished to work for the household enterprise began in 1958 by his father, Rocco DePiro Sr., and uncle, Joseph DePiro.

“I knew this was what I was going to do. I started working here at the age of 12,” DePiro mentioned. “It was the family business. Things were starting to take off, and I just wanted to be part of it.”

Pal-Mino’s Italian Village house owners Rocky and Patty DePiro sit within the restaurant’s eating space. “A lot of our customers were friends, it is like a part of your family,” mentioned Patty. “It has been a great environment.”
Mirror picture by Walt Frank

DePiro fondly remembers his father and uncle.

“They were two guys born of immigrant parents, raised during the Depression and served their country in World War II. They got hired by the railroad and were always getting laid off,” he mentioned. “They had a great idea and a recipe and wanted to market it.”

The brothers began at thirteenth Avenue and sixteenth Street, borrowing $500 from their older brother Frank and opening the enterprise.

Rocky turned proprietor of Pal-Mino’s — named for his older sister Pauline — in 1978. The authentic location closed in 2015. The present location, 2206 Seventh Ave., initially New York Bakery, opened in 1982. Pal-Mino’s had a number of different native places over time.

Pal-Mino’s turned an Altoona establishment, Mayor Matt Pacifico mentioned.

“I always went there. Rocky and his family built a tremendous business over several decades, it is like an Altoona institution,” Pacifico mentioned.

Pal-Mino’s turned a gathering place after athletic occasions.

“Neil (Rudel) would bring people here after the Hall of Fame dinners, all of the celebrities and dignitaries,” DePiro mentioned.

“I would always take Stan Savran over after the Hall of Fame dinners. Stan always liked talking to Rocky,” mentioned longtime buddy Ted Beam. “Once you got to know him, he didn’t forget you. He was not afraid to share his opinions. He was a very personable guy,”

“George Paterno was here. Lots of sports figures. Judge D. Brooks Smith used to be a regular,” DePiro mentioned. “We have had nine attorneys who worked for us as their first job. We have had doctors and others who went on to be successful business people. We always enjoyed seeing them become successful.”

Pal-Mino’s provided a full menu, however its signature dish was its pizza, made with a particular household recipe.

“It is a great tasting pizza sauce. Our sauce doesn’t give you heartburn. It has been around for 65 years, so it must be decent. We use no preservatives. We have never changed or deviated from the original sauce recipe or dough,” DePiro mentioned. “Our dough recipe is simple … We make it fresh every day. … I never ate a chain pizza that can compare with a good independent.”

Pal-Mino’s prospects turned like household.

“A lot of our customers were friends, it is like a part of your family. It has been a great environment,” mentioned Rocky’s spouse and longtime enterprise companion, Patty.

Tom Ardrey had been a buyer for over 50 years.

“It had a great atmosphere. It was like the Cheers of Altoona, everybody knew everybody, a great family-oriented place. It was a comforting and safe place to go. It will be missed,” Ardrey mentioned. “Rocky had a rough appearance, but he is a very nice soft guy at heart. He was always a caring person. Rocky has been a very good friend for years.”

Pal-Mino’s has had many longtime staff similar to Donna Cooney, who served as supervisor for practically 40 years, and Sylvia Foor, who labored on the enterprise for greater than 40 years.

“He was great to work for; that is why I stayed as long as I did,” Cooney mentioned.

Despite his heavy workload, DePiro, a 1973 Altoona Area High School graduate and soccer participant for legendary coach Earl Strohm, discovered time to provide again by means of teaching.

He began teaching within the Altoona Parochial League when he was 21. He then moved on to assist coach the Bishop Guilfoyle freshmen crew. He was really useful by the late John Conlon, who had been a rival coach within the Parochial League.

“He called me. We weren’t the best of friends when coaching against each other … but he asked me to be the line coach,” DePiro mentioned.

He then joined the workers at Altoona underneath coach Ed Dalton.

“My friend Tom Bussman referred me to Dalton. Without an application I was hired at Altoona. I was at Altoona from 1994 to 2003,” DePiro mentioned. “We had some success. In 1997, we beat Moeller, it was an incredible night. This place was packed after the game.”

“He was an excellent coach, he took it very seriously and worked hard at coaching. Those kids were better off, they became better people and better players having been coached by him,” Bussman mentioned.

Tom Palfey additionally acquired to know DePiro as a member of Dalton’s teaching workers.

“He was so intense. He was one of the best line coaches we ever had here. He coached multiple all-state linemen and we had multiple thousand-yard rushers,” Palfey mentioned. “He is so loyal. He loves Altoona football and has tremendous pride in the program and the business started by his father.”

DePiro misses some features of teaching.

“I miss the games and competition. I liked the camaraderie of the coaches, but it takes a lot of time. I wasn’t home a lot between work and coaching. My wife did a great job raising our kids; they are so successful,” DePiro mentioned.

It was a bittersweet resolution to promote the household enterprise.

“It was an emotional decision. We have so many wonderful memories here; we are leaving that behind us. We wanted to make sure it would be done right; we wanted to make the transition smooth,” Patty DePiro mentioned.

“I saw dad worked so hard when he was still at the railroad and worked here at night. I didn’t want to let that legacy down. I think he would be proud,” Rocky DePiro mentioned.

Pacifico is glad DePiro can exit on his personal phrases.

“He has been a solid business owner in the city of Altoona. …. He has been dedicated to serving the people of Altoona and Blair County, it is one of the places of which people have fond memories,” Pacifico mentioned.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.

The DePiro file

Name: Rocco “Rocky” DePiro Jr.

Age: 68

Education: 1973

graduate of Altoona Area High School

Position: Owner of Pal-Mino’s Italian Village

Family: Wife, Patty; son, Rocco III; and daughter, Andrea; three grandchildren

Quote: “People called us the Cheers of Altoona, you would see people in the same seats.”