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WHEREAS, Thomas Jefferson said, "Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing"; and,
WHEREAS, Mario Gigliotti, Sr., owner of the Squirrel Hill Shoe Repair is the epitome of hard work, dedication to his craft and commitment to his family and community. Mario was born in Italy in 1958, worked for a cobbler as a child and came to the United States in _____; and,
WHEREAS, Mario and his wife, Rosetta, also born in Italy, knew each other as children and married in 1969. After Mario's military service, he worked for his brother at a shoe repair shop in the Northway Mall, opened a shop in the Southland Shopping Center and then after Rosetta's mother passed away, worked with her brother in the shoe repair business ; and,
WHEREAS, after working at Ortoleva's on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill, Mario and Rosetta opened their own shop in 1978 next to the former Bageland on Murray Avenue and then moved across the street to their current location when they bought the building and grew their business; and,
WHEREAS, dedicated to the fine craft of leather work and repair, Mario and Rosetta Gigliotti have grown a small family business into a neighborhood anchor, known for its skilled craft of shoe cobbling and leather repair craftsmanship with clientele as far as West Virginia, Ohio and New Castle. To ensure that the family's commitment to its craft does not disappear, Mario and Rosetta have passed down their work ethic and their craft to the next generation. Mario Gigliotti, Jr. works alongside his father, and their son-in law, Mario Ulizzi, owns the Sewickley Shoe Repair. Mario and Rosetta are the parents of 3 children, Mario Jr, Lisa and Carla and the proud grandparents of 9 grandchildren.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize and commend Rosetta and Mario Gigliotti, Sr. for their hard work and dedication to build and grow a family business, to bring the fine craft of shoe repair and leather work from Italy to the United States and congratulates them for 36 years of business in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood; and,
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Tuesday, September 9 , 2014, to be ROSETTA AND MARIO GIGLIOTTI, SR.DAY " in the City of Pittsburgh.