It was love at first sight when Marjorie O’Keefe, Mayor Dennis O’Keefe’s late wife, saw their house. “As soon as we turned the corner and Marjorie saw the front porch, that was it. She fell in love with the house,” he said. But it was the people of the community that made it home—home for 48 years now.
Mayor O’Keefe said, “Everybody here has a loving feeling. When we moved here, there were about 5,000 people. Now, there are over 15,000, heading toward 16,000.”
There are many reasons that Franklin Park is a great community. “There are excellent schools, there is wonderful management, the council all works together, and builders love it. When they build a house here, folks buy it—people want to live here. And there is a variety of housing types to suit different needs,” O’Keefe said.
The mayor said he first decided to serve the community because of his experiences. “Franklin Park has served my family well, and I wanted to give back. I wanted to play an important role in keeping Franklin Park one of the best places to live in PA,” he said.
Franklin Park is a great place to have a business as well, according to several local businesses. The Franklin Inn Mexican Restaurant, locally family-owned and operated, will soon celebrate its 46th anniversary. “Being a community restaurant, we serve a wide variety of folks. We’ve served families whose children have grown and now return with their own families. Couples who remark that the Inn was their first date. And individuals dining alone always find our bar a welcoming and unintimidating place to strike up a conversation and make new friends,” co-owner Wendy Cibula said.
Cibula and her husband, John, purchased the restaurant from his parents, Hank and Sue, in 2000. While Hank and Sue selected the location for their restaurant because it was near their own home, the younger Cibulas also chose to live in Franklin Park. “It has been a great neighborhood to raise our children. The school district has served us well. We attend a great church—Heritage Presbyterian Church,” Cibula said. “We actually live, work, worship and volunteer in Franklin Park. It is convenient to town and other venues around the city. John grew up in Franklin Park. I love being close to family in Greenfield, where I grew up.”
For their business, Franklin Park is ideal. “The location is great for any business. Being between the 279 and 79 exits makes it convenient for customers outside of Franklin Park,” she said. “Even though we are tucked in a neighborhood, we are still pretty easy to find. So many things make Franklin Park a special place to be a business owner, but our local clientele, many of whom have become friends, are the best reason. We have the best customers and a strong sense of community.”
Greg Rizzer, owner of The Spot, grew up in the area. The Spot specializes in acai bowls, smoothies, and locally roasted coffee. “When I was looking for a second location, I was ecstatic when the spot next to Pomodoro became available. I was confident with the success of the first store (located in Fox Chapel) that this location could match its success,” Rizzer said. “The area is perfect for business... lots of traffic, and a good customer base that is familiar with our types of products. Also, we are very close to some extremely large housing developments that have high school kids and parents who love acai bowls,” Rizzer said.
Rizzer’s next-door neighbor, Steven D’Achille, owner of Pomodoro, agrees. According to D’Achille, Pomodoro was originally Pizza Roma. As the business passed hands through the family, Steven’s brother Michael took over the restaurant, expanding the takeout/delivery pizza shop to include a dining room and bar. “Unfortunately, in 2014, Michael passed away. Pomodoro became a labor of love with my family to keep operating in his memory,” D’Achille said.
Pomodoro has become not only a tribute to Michael, but a well-loved stop in Franklin Park. “What makes Franklin Park so special is, without a doubt, the residents. I always tell people I have the best job in the world! Meeting and greeting our customers is by far my favorite part of the job,” he said. “You would be hard-pressed to find another business that connects a community more than a pizzeria. Through our dine-in/take-out/delivery, we are both going out into the community every day and also have the community come through our doors.”
It is impossible to separate the business from the community. “Being in a position to give back to the community and local schools is one of my proudest accomplishments. We do our best to be good neighbors and help all causes, especially if it involves children,” D’Achille said. “We love seeing kids come in after their sports events. I like to think it’s a happy place, win or lose. Whenever the pizza comes out, everyone is smiling.”
It’s that sense of community that kept the restaurant going during COVID. “I can’t thank the community enough for their unwavering support during the pandemic. We are blessed to have thrived during the hardest of times, when so many restaurants were really struggling. Franklin Park is a community that cares. The residents take care of their local businesses, and we do our best to take care of them,” D’Achille said.
In 1975, the Filiaggi family brought Sir Pizza to Pittsburgh, introducing the community to the delicious, time-honored recipes that were a family tradition, according to Karen Yoedt, who owns the business with her brother, Stephen. “We continued this legacy by opening our Franklin Park location in 2006, staying true to its roots with the original recipes and a commitment to using only the freshest ingredients,” Yoedt said.
Like the other business owners, the Yoedts find the location ideal. “It is a special place because of its tight-knit, supportive community and the strong connections between residents and local businesses. One of the aspects I love most about running Sir Pizza here is the opportunity to hire local teenagers from the community. It’s incredibly rewarding to see them grow and develop, gaining work experience and responsibility. Over the years, many of them continue to come back to visit,” she said.
Uday Palled, council president, feels the convenient location and dedication to green space are also attractive. “Based on conversations with numerous residents, the borough offers a substantially higher proportion of green space and natural forestry compared to other municipalities. It’s a large selling point, along with its convenience to the city, airport, and major highways. It is also one of the few municipalities that is zoned to the highly ranked North Allegheny School District,” he said.
Palled continued, “We have numerous parks and trails, along with easy and convenient access to amenities, such as businesses and medical services. These factors are considered invaluable to residents regardless of age and stage of life.”
And of course, there is that sense of community. “While the community has evolved, there is a strong level of involvement from long-time and new residents to participate and enhance the community,” Palled said.
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