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APRIL 10-16, 2025
The last slice: My Place founder Manny Mirabito hangs up his apron After 46 years of pizza and purpose
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Looking by Back Ed Pany Valley slate quarries
(Left): A photo of Hugo’s BBQ in 1938, which became My Place in 1988 (Right): Manny Mirabito, recently-retired owner of My Place Pizza Restaurant By SAVANNAH BROWN After 46 years of tossing dough, feeding generations and running one of the most beloved pizza shops in the area, Emanuel “Manny” Mirabito is officially hanging up his apron. The owner of My Place Pizza
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Restaurant, a community staple “Anything we do, we put 150% in Bath, announced his retire- into it,” he adds. ment last Tuesday, marking the True to his word, Manny enend of an era and the beginning tered into the business world at of a new chapter both for him just 19, opening Pizza City on and the business. The shop will Main Street in Northampton now be in the capable hands of with not much more than some Ernesto Rangel, a trusted em- dough and his dreams after years ployee and pizza maker who has of saving up. been with My Place for over a Starting a business can come decade. with a multitude of anxieties, esFor Manny, the decision to re- pecially for a 19-year-old, but not tire wasn’t sparked by any single for Manny! reason. Rather, it was “a little bit “I guess at 19 you’re not scared of everything,” he says, “and I al- of anything. You feel like you’re ways said I would retire at 65.” invincible, so you can start up After working since he was a and do anything, or you can just kid—starting with a paper route get away with anything. So, it at the age of 9 to help his family wasn’t a big deal, but I also had and landing his first pizza job at my sister and my mom helping 12 when a broken finger sidelined out,” Manny recalls. his baseball dreams—he’s served Continued on page 6 up sauce and smiles ever since.
Genuine Washington Slate Company, later called Hartzell Slate Quarry, in Berlinsville; photo courtesy of the William Beck Family A few weeks ago, Cindy Beck takes us back to the age of slate Deppe, of the landmark Becky’s in the township. They write, “The township Drive-In in Berlinsville, sent a number of photographs to Larry traces much of its history back Oberly and this writer. Her fa- to slate. Their extensive research ther, William Beck, founder of lists 28 quarries. Many quarthe drive-in, had a keen interest ries changed ownership over the in quarries. As a young man he years so writing their history is used his newly purchased camera complex.” A number of years ago some to photograph local slate quarries. At the age of 13 he was given Continued on page 3 a job as a water boy at the Wash84th Year, Issue No. 15 ington Quarry in Berlinsville. He worked with his father and www.homenewspa.com uncles at the quarry. Eventually, he became a bell ringer and hoist operator. The Lehigh Township Historical Society’s book, “Images USPS 248-700 of America: Lehigh Township,”
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