Dedication to tradition and taste has long been the standard at the Forlini family's pizza shops.
Armand Forlini began dishing out his brand of pizza in Donora during the 1950s.
The customized pizza pies he frequently served to his children, family and friends at his home in the borough have become a sought after staple in the Mid-Mon Valley.
Armando's Pizza opened at 615 Fallowfield Ave. in Charleroi in December 1969.
The business burned down on Thanksgiving Day in 2000.
Long-time customers showed their support by urging the owner and his family to reopen.
The Forlinis responded by opening a new location at 538 Fallowfield Ave., less than three months after the fire.
"We had a complete loss at the other location," said Armand Forlini's 38-year-old son, Justin. "It was a devastating time. We were unsure of the future. We knew we wanted to reopen. My dad was still actively involved running the place at the time, and it put a lot of pressure on him.
"We had a lot of positive response from the community. They wanted us and we wanted to be here as well."
And so, those running Armando's have provided an unwavering commitment to running the business the old fashioned way for decades.
Justin Forlini, a Donora native living in McMurray, has directed day-to-day operations at the Charleroi pizza shop for the last 10 years.
"One thing that's remained the same is our commitment to excellence and tradition," he said. "We really don't change much. My father had a recipe for success years ago. It's been my ambition to continue that."
Justin Forlini began working during his high school years for his father.
"I was probably 15 years old when I started," he said. "The rule then was — this is what my father told all his sons — you can start working when you can reach the top of the oven, because at that time, we used to keep the cooked pizzas on top of the oven to keep them warm.
"I grew up in the place and came up through the ranks as a youngster. I worked through college, too. My dad had a shop in California at the time. I went to Cal U, so I worked there."
The California Borough location closed about 10 years ago and a new site opened in Monessen.
The Monessen shop, run by Forlini family friend Stephen Walter, recently relocated to the corner of Tyrol Boulevard and Route 906.
The new opening is a sign of success, Justin Forlini said.
"It's strange because our business has shown growth throughout the years, especially, in the poor economy," he said. "People are recognizing the value of the pizza industry. Business is going very well. We're very lucky."
Justin Forlini said loyalty to old-fashioned pizza making is what has kept Armando's around.
"We really do consider ourselves an artisan shop, and it starts with the dough made fresh daily," he said. "In an era where so many people are buying pre-packaged food and looking for simplicity, we still try to maintain true authentic cooking values. It's more labor intensive that way, but we feel it is better quality, and we're committed to that."
Freshness is paramount at Armando's.
"Prep work goes on throughout the day; hours and hours. We're a high-volume shop so things don't sit around long. You can count on freshness when you come to Armando's," Justin Forlini said. "We're rolling meatballs. We still make the dough daily. The finishing touch on the pizza, the ultimate thing, is cooking it on the hearth-baked stone. That's what separates us."
Justin Forlini's younger brother, Ben, is the night shift manager at the Charleroi location.
Older brother Armand Jr. has worked at the business. He is currently on sabbatical leave.
Armand Forlini and his wife, Mary Ann, have remained involved.
"They're semi-retired. My mom still does the books. My dad's still active. He comes in and he cooks daily. He has a true passion for it," Justin Forlini said. "We are a true ma and pop location in an era where we're seeing more and more corporate-run stores. I think that this type of cooking is a dying breed, and we get so much positive response and repeat business because of it. People really do appreciate it."
The Charleroi business, set up primarily as a take-out shop, features a dining room built a few years after the business reopened following the fire.
Through the years, the Armando's menu has changed as customer tastes have become more diverse.
"When my father started, he had pizza on the menu," Justin Forlini said. "Then he added hoagies and then Mexican specials: burritos and tacos. Then it goes on. We have salads and stromboli. The tacos are gone, but we're still doing burritos. We recently added some pasta dishes, soups and chicken wings."
As the sights, sounds and smells of Armando's spark nostalgia for Justin Forlini, they have done the same for many long-time customers.
"We have generations that come through," he said. "My father used to see people come in as teenagers, and then they were bringing their kids in. It's evolved into their great-grandchildren.
"We've been treating generations for 40 years. That's very rewarding. I bet, almost weekly, we get visitors from out of town that share memories. They're posting it on Facebook. They visit our page there. Those are the things that stick with you.
"The rewarding part is knowing that we're putting out a good product successfully, day in and day out."
Above all, the Forlinis have made sure not to sacrifice quality for convenience.
"We've set the benchmark and the standard for 40 years," Justin Forlini said. "We don't compare to other shops, they compare to us."
Armando's Pizza is open every day from 10 a.m. to midnight in Charleroi. The Monessen location is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays.
Armando's can be reached at 724-483-5540 in Charleroi and 724-684-5105 in Monessen.
