PITTSTON — The Red Mill was the site for the Best of Greater Pittston Awards Tuesday evening sponsored by the where nearly 90 Greater Pittston businesses and individuals took home awards ranging from Best Attorney to Best Wings. The event is sponsored annually by the Sunday Dispatch and the Times Leader.
“The Times Leader Media Group is proud to be associated with the Sunday Dispatch which has been printing a newspaper since 1947,” said Mike Murray, publisher. “We are very happy to honor nearly 100 business and entrepreneurs in Greater Pittston tonight. This area has such a great sense of community; it’s an honor to service all the towns encompassing Greater Pittston.”
There were two big winners in the 2019 polling as the Knights Home Association and Fuji each won in four categories.
The Knights took home awards for Best Bar, Best Bar Food, Best Bartender and Best Place for Nighttime Entertainment while Fuji earned awards in the categories of Best Ethnic Food, Best Healthy Meal, Best Seafood and Best Restaurant Atmosphere/Décor.
“This is amazing for us because this is the first time we ever got an award,” said Lee Monteforte, secretary of the Knights Home Association. “Board members and regular members have a common goal to make it (Knights) thrive in downtown Pittston in the heart of the city. It’s a nice meeting place.”
Double winners include Fly Me Home (home design/décor, gift store), Sabatelle’s Market (butcher, family market), Town Tavern (wings/bites, happy hour), Napoli’s Pizza (take out, waiter/waitress), Sapphire Salon (hair salon, spa), Mad Tees (printing and graphics company, embroidery shop), Albert’s Pharmacy (local pharmacy and pharmacist) and Fred Orkwis (chef, caterer).
Bob Dellarte, owner of Golden Photo Studios, West Pittston, was voted Best Photographer for the ninth time.
“Honestly, you’re thrilled to death and it never gets old; I’ll tell you that much,” Dellarte said upon receiving his award. “You’re always excited to see it and I still feel it is. I always want to exceed my customers’ expectations.
“No matter how big or how small the job, if I’m happy with the job, I know my customer will love it,” Dellarte added.
Six-time recipient The Cookie Corner Child Care Center, West Wyoming, accepted the award for Best Childcare Program.
“It’s wonderful. It’s always exciting and if it wasn’t for the parents sharing their kids with us, we wouldn’t be in this position,” said Toni Tabone, director/owner/teacher of The Cookier Corner. “It’s very heartfelt and grateful for those that voted for us and a big thank you to the parents that trust their kids here at Cookie Corner. We love what we do.”
Business newcomers, Broadway on the Boulevard and Boozy B’s, which has only been operational for three months, garnered Best Dance Studio and Best New Business, respectively.
“I was ecstatic and I work really hard to provide the kids with a good solid dance education,” said Rachel Leandri, co-founder of Broadway on the Boulevard. “I want them to grow academically and artistically and to be recognized publicly. I just feel so humble about it. It shows people are paying attention to what we’re doing.”
Charles Adonizio, proprietor of Atlas Realty, Inc., was on hand with his wife Karen to receive the award for Best Real Estate Agency. According to Adonizio, his firm is undefeated in the category since the awards program’s inception in 2010.
“It’s nice that people recognize that we’re trying to do the right thing and the thrust of our business is in Greater Pittston,” Adonizio said. “We’re all Greater Pittston people and that’s the nice thing about it; people recognize it.”
