Agolino’s owner, Joe Agolino, proudly holds a newly printed poster of the Wyoming Area Warriors state champion team last December. Standing is Ree Ree DeLuca, mother of the team’s quarterback and state title MVP, Dominic DeLuca and Dante Bovani, Jr., father of teammate Dante Bovani III.
Tony Callaio | Times Leader file photo
WEST PITTSTON — Agolino’s Restaurant on Luzerne Avenue will be closed for the remainder of the week as the community mourns the death of longtime owner Joe Agolino, the restaurant announced on Facebook late Monday night.
“It is with heartbreak and sadness that we share that Joe Agolino has passed away,” reads the Facebook post. “Agolino’s meant the world to him, he lived and breathed it … he truly loved all of his customers, he loved the business, he loved the hustle, the rush — he loved it all.”
Agolino’s has been a staple in the Greater Pittston community for almost 60 years, dating all the way back to the 1960’s when Joe’s father, Sam Agolino Sr., purchased the location with the intention of turning it into a pool hall.
Through a pair of floods in 1972 and 2011 and a global pandemic, Agolino’s has stood the test of time, largely thanks to the work that Agolino and his family have put in over the years.
Agolino was much-beloved by everyone around town, with hundreds of condolences pouring in on Facebook immediately after the restaurant announced his passing.
His pride in his community was evident as, last year, Agolino’s welcomed the Wyoming Area football team for a celebratory dinner after the Warriors won the first state championship in the school’s history. Agolino drove down to Hershey and listened to the game in his car.
“He loved West Pittston, the community and everything it represented,” the restaurant said on Facebook. “Dad: we love you, and will continue the legacy in your honor.”
