After almost a century of serving baked goods to Mon Valley residents, Minerva Bakery of McKeesport is about to get its time in the spotlight.
“A Few Great Bakeries,” a television special hosted and produced by local director Rick Sebak, will air on WQED at 9 p.m. Tuesday. The special focuses on independently run bakeries from Massachusetts to California and how they have become mainstays in their communities.
Third-generation owner George Mark Monezis inherited Minerva Bakery, at 927 Fifth Ave., from his father, George Monezis Jr.
“I've been doing this stuff since I was 10 years old,” Monezis said. “I used to help out my family with the business before I went to grade school when I was a kid. I've been here practically all my life.”
George Monezis Sr., the current owner's grandfather, and wife Angela founded Minerva Bakery in 1923.
“We have this business today because of them,” Kathi Monezis Harvey, the owner's sister, said last fall when the Sebak crew was filming. “We have them to thank for everything. We put a lot of hard work into the bakery today, but it wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my grandparents.”
Minerva Bakery began along Walnut Street in McKeesport and quickly became a popular local attraction. During the Great Depression, the Monezis family relocated the bakery to Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood before settling at the Fifth Avenue location it occupies today.
General manager Louise Lindberg has worked at Minerva for 28 years, including 26 as bakery manager.
“I've known the family for a very long time,” Lindberg said. “It really has grown since I've started. We've set ourselves apart through our quality and our selection of products.”
What Lindberg likes most about the bakery is the relationship its staff has built with customers over the years.
“I remember a day where a guy came in and said, ‘The best part of the day is coming in and seeing your smiling faces,'” Lindberg said. “We're really friendly with our customers.”
Alexander Haney is a contributing writer for Trib Total Media.
