Victory Pig History

 

 

History

            Founded in 1942 by Italian-immigrant turned entrepreneur, Louis Ceccoli, and his wife Lee, Victory Pig began as a little sandwich shop specializing in pork BBQ’s. The recipe for the pizza can be credited to Lee, who drew on her own culinary ingenuity and the ethnic influences of the region to create a pizza legacy that endures to this day. Strangely, Lee did not begin making the pizza with the intention of selling it; she was simply packing her husband a work-lunch with what had become one of his favorite treats. One day, while Louis was unpacking his lunch at the restaurant’s front counter, a customer asked him “What’s that you’re eating?” When Louis told him that his wife had made him some pizza, the man said he had never heard of it, and he asked to buy a slice. Louis sold the man his dinner for 5 cents, which proved to be the most fruitful decision of his life, as the man insisted it was the best thing he had ever eaten. Later that day, Lee brought a couple of trays down to the restaurant, and they sold so fast she had to run back home and make more. The couple recognized they had something special in their pizza, and made it a permanent addition to their menu.

            Bob Ceccoli, son of Louis and Lee, currently operates the business with his son and partner, Richard. He joined the family business after returning from the pacific theatre in WWII. Shortly thereafter, Bob married Mary Masi, who served as a USO girl during the war, and they both joined Louis and Lee in the running of the business. You can still find Bob and Mary in the VP kitchen every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night, working to ensure the quality of every pan that comes out of the ovens.

            Richard Ceccoli, who worked in the family business since he was a boy, joined his parents and grandparents in its operation after marrying his wife, Jeanette, in 1975. Besides the Victory Pig, Richard also built “Rich’s Golf and Fun Center, which in located directly behind the pizza parlor. Richard presently runs the Victory Pig with his parents, and is the soul operator of his own seasonal business. He has three sons, Richard, Robert and Randon, all of whom work in both family businesses.

 

What’s in a name?

The reasons behind the curious name of the business are lost to history. Before being purchased in 1942 by Louis and Lee Ceccoli, Victory Pig had been operating for at least a decade as a gas station and sandwich grille. We always believed the name was conceived as a dual reference to World War I and Pork BBQ’s: “Victory” signified patriotism and celebrated the allied victory, and “Pig” alluded to the Pork BBQ sandwiches featured on the original menu.
The Ceccoli’s bought the building at the height of World War II, making the existing name a fitting carryover to celebrate their patriotism. They continued to serve Pork BBQ’s, which, to this day, remain the second most popular item on our menu.

 

905 Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming PA 18644
570-693-9963

 Open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 4:30-11:00