Honor LaRoma's 30th Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 4564 BY: Senator GRIFFO COMMEMORATING the 30th Anniversary of LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant of Rome, New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize illustrious culinary establishments which have positively impacted and substantially contributed to the vitality of their communities; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant of Rome, New York; and WHEREAS, Russell Digristina grew up as a farmer in Schuyler, New York; after working long hard days on the family farm, he started having big dreams of one day opening his own business; and WHEREAS, In 1988, Russell and his brother, Charlie, decided to make that dream a reality and purchased an old 1,300 square foot gas station and converted it to a pizzeria on the corner of Floyd Avenue and E. Bloomfield Street in Rome, New York; and WHEREAS, The brothers successfully completed the renovations with some help from experienced friends and local contractors and, on March

8, 1988, they were officially opened for business; and WHEREAS, With their entire family and staff by their side, Russell and Charlie Digristina began serving their family recipes to Rome and its surrounding communities; just three weeks after opening, LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant was quickly becoming a popular choice for quality pizza and Italian dishes; and WHEREAS, The brothers' passion for food within their Italian heritage was now being shared and enjoyed by all of their customers, just as their family had enjoyed on the family farm; and WHEREAS, In 1989, Russell and Charlie Digristina made the decision to purchase another building and branch out with a second location; this was the beginning of what would today become Charlie's Pizza throughout the Utica area; as a result, Charlie and Russell now have their own pizzeria's, and continued to help build and support one another's business; and WHEREAS, As LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant continued to grow, Russell Digristina began to explore the idea of expanding the menu and facility to better serve his customers; he acquired surrounding properties which allowed him to expand its existing footprint; as a result, a new state-of-the-art facility was constructed on the same corner and transitioned into a new 3,000 square foot building; and WHEREAS, With the new building and continued support from the local community, LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant experienced steady growth; the dedicated staff members, many of which have been there for more than 15 years, have become extended family members; and WHEREAS, A landmark within its community, after 30 years, the owners and staff of LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant continue to make their dough from scratch daily, aging it to perfection, hand tossing it, topping it with their homemade pizza sauce, and finishing it off with top grade mozzarella cheese and premium toppings; and WHEREAS, The remarkable success of LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant is due in large part to its owners, Russell and Janice Digristina, whose warmth and hospitality are easily recognized by their loyal patrons; this dynamic couple is well-versed in customer service and truly makes everyone who walks through their door feel like family; and WHEREAS, For three decades, LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant has stood as a beloved establishment which has provided a friendly, open environment for patrons to collectively gather and share their thoughts, ideas and life experiences; and WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body acknowledges this exceptional business and its contributions to the local and State economies, fully confident that it will continue to enjoy the sparkling successes it has experienced thus far; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of LaRoma's Pizzeria & Restaurant of Rome, New York, and to offer best wishes to Russell and Janice Digristina for continued success in all their future endeavors; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Russell and Janice Digristina.