EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — It was back to work making pizzas for Thomas Guiffre, the owner of Tony's Restaurant and Pizzeria on Crystal Street in East Stroudsburg.
It's a promise he made to the community a year and a half earlier when a fire closed his business.
"To be back open and to serve the community and people coming in after being closed for two years and being really excited that we're back open," said Guiffre. "It's been good. I'm happy that people are happy that we're back."
Back in July of 2020, a fire gutted the pizzeria, damaging nearby businesses too.
Guiffe says he had to start from scratch rebuilding the business from the ground up. It was that wasn't easy.
"We had a lot of insurance issues in the beginning, and once that was through, we ran into some issues with COVID, and then just getting to people to get construction and all that," Guiffre said. "It was pretty much a lot of hurdles to get through."
A "We are open" sign now sits out front of the pizzeria. It's a message that customers have patiently been waiting for.
"Very excited. I've been waiting forever for him to open us so. I'm very excited. I had pizza," said Jennifer Lensi of New Jersey.
It was Jennifer Lensi and her friend Sheila's first time back at the joint since it reopened. The two ladies have been grabbing a bite here every week for the past several years.
"The food was terrific. I mean, we always split a meal, so we can try different things, and it was just perfect," said Sheila Shere of Brodheadsville.
Tony's Restaurant and Pizzeria are offering grand opening specials for the next two weeks.
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