Bucktown Business Beat: Duke’s Pizza

Posted on October 2, 2024 by The Dunmorean

Happy Spooktober, Dunmore! October brings more than just the crisp fall air—Halloween is around the corner and 3 football season is here! And let’s be honest, what’s a game night without some great pizza and wings?

This month, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Peno, the owner of Dukes Pizza, located at 620 S Blakely St, Dunmore. In our exclusive interview, Peno shared his extensive experience in pizza-making and opened up about how food delivery apps are impacting small businesses like his. And, of course, Peno was kind enough to whip up a couple of pizzas for me to try. I can’t wait to share my favorite with all of you!

Peno’s pizza journey began when he was just 12 years old, helping out at his uncles’ bar. After their time in the bar business, they went on to open the first Dukes in Peckville. While the Peckville location was still operating, Peno connected with some friends over at Dunmore Lumber, who had a space available. That’s when Dukes first opened in Dunmore—eight years ago.

A fun tidbit about Duke’s Pizza is the story behind its logo. It’s a heartfelt tribute to Peno’s late uncle, who originally founded Duke’s. His nickname was “The Dog.” And to add a personal touch, Peno’s favorite breed is the bulldog! So every time you see that logo, it’s not just a cool design—it’s a nod to family, legacy, and Peno’s love for his favorite four-legged friend.

The first pizza Peno had me try was his Tomato Basil Garlic Pizza, and coming from someone who doesn’t even like tomatoes, I confidently gave it a 9/10. This is just one of his many delicious non-meat options. Another popular choice is his award-winning Pagash! While I didn’t get to try that one, it’s a best-seller year-round, so I think it’s safe to say it’s definitely worth the hype!

Peno made me three other pizzas to try: his original red, the Dukes FAMOUS Steak and Cheese Pizza (which is honestly to die for), and his brand-new Garlic Parm Chicken Wing Pizza. They were all spectacular, but my favorite had to be the Garlic Parm Chicken Wing Pizza—I could never pass up on some spice! What really stood out to me in all the pizzas was the cheese.

Yeraldi: I really like the way that your cheese melts.

Peno: Let me tell you something–during the pandemic I couldn’t get my cheese for the longest time, man.

Yeraldi: Are you serious?

Peno: Oh yeah, I used different cheese, and that’s happened over the years. Throughout the years I’ve used different brands, you know, but the one that we’re using now has been solid for a very long time. I think our customers love it.

Duke’s menu is filled with gems–another pizza that has been selling like crazy is his Hot Honey Clucker Pizza which is drizzled with the delicious hot honey sauce. Perfect if you enjoy the mix of sweet and hot together!

You can’t deny that Dukes has some of the greatest specialty pizzas, but what makes this place even better is all the deals they offer. Remember that famous steak and cheese pizza I was talking about before? That is one hefty pizza that will certainly feed a household with leftovers. “I tell everyone, each slice is like eating half a cheesesteak.” Says Peno.

The regular price for the steak and cheese pizza is $27.50. However, if you head down to Dukes on a Wednesday you can get an entire tray of the steak and cheese–plus a red tray–all for just $35.50! On Tuesday,, Peno offers @ red trays for $24.00 and my new personal favorite deal is the $5 App. Friday, where all appetizers are just $5!

Peno does his best to keep deals alive and prices low, even in a time when the cost of everything is rising. However, one challenge he faces is the use of food delivery apps. Peno explains how he has to raise his prices on these platforms to get a fair share back.

Peno: If I showed you the math, you’d be like, “Oh my God, are you kidding me?” You do $800 in business with them, you get like $450, $500 if you’re lucky. So now, you have to raise your prices.

Beyond making delicious pizzas, Peno also uses his position to give back to the community in any way he can.

Whether it’s helping with school fundraisers or feeding local football teams, Peno is always ready to lend a hand. Duke’s will even be participating in the Hart Law & The Dunmorean‘s first annual Trunk or Treat event at the end of this month! For more information about that event, you can visit the Hart Law and The Dunmorean‘s Facebook page.

No business would be anywhere without its clients and community, and Peno understands this best.

Peno: That’s the thing. Family and friends have kept Dukes going all these years. The customers become like your family. Jimmy John—if you could put his name in there, that would be great.

Yeraldi: Yes, of course!

Peno: Jimmy John, that’s what I call him. Customers like him are the reason we’re still here, the reason we got through the pandemic and the road closure out front. We wouldn’t have survived without a guy like him. He’s been coming here since we opened, very loyal. In fact, his son just developed lactose intolerance, and I got some cheese for him. I made him a pizza last week.

Yeraldi: Oh, that’s so sweet.

Peno has been in the pizza business for so long, and what fuels his success is the love he has for it. I asked him what advice he would give to someone looking to open a pizzeria, and here’s what he had to say:

Peno: The best thing I can tell anyone is, you know, stick with it. If you really love the food, if you really love feeding people and seeing the joy it brings them, it’ll probably work out for you. Because there are definitely highs and lows in this business. The summer is not fun. July and August are rough months, but then once you get to the fall, it’s open water—we’re busy. I would suggest that if you really want to get into the food business, you have to have the passion. You have to really want to feed people. Otherwise, it’s a lot of work. I mean, I just enjoy it, I really do. And always remember to treat your customers well.

Dukes Pizza is open Tuesday through Sunday, with hours varying, but they’re always ready just in time for lunch! If you haven’t already, I highly recommend ordering some of Dukes’ Garlic Parm Pizza for your next game night!

A huge thank you to Peno for his time and for making me some delicious pizzas to try. If you’ve read this far and are now craving some Duke’s, don’t forget to let him know Yeraldi from The Dunmorean sent you! Peno is an amazing guy and a staple in our community—may his steak and cheese pizzas go down in history as the best!

Bucktown Business Beat: A Taste of Bunker Hill

Posted on August 7, 2024 by The Dunmorean

By Yeraldi Pacheco Miguel

This month on the Bucktown Business Beat, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Patrick Padula Jr., the man behind Carmella’s Sauces – A Taste of Bunker Hill. Carmella’s Sauce originates from Carmella’s Restaurant, located at 140 Erie St, Dunmore, with a second location, Carmella’s Italian Deli, at 106 N Main Ave, Scranton.

The original Carmella’s has been a Dunmore staple for over 30 years! Patrick shared the history of his beloved grandmother Carmella and how he strives to keep her name alive.

The story begins in 1984 when Patrick’s family opened Padula’s Ice Cream Shop at 112 W Grove St, Dunmore. Four years later, in 1988, the original Carmella’s was opened. Patrick fondly remembers spending a lot of time in the restaurant as a kid and always having an affinity for it.

“The whole family would help out – my parents, uncles, I was always there when I was a kid,” Patrick shares.

As his grandparents grew Carmella’s Restaurant, his uncle expanded the name into the West Side of Scranton, opening their second location, Carmella’s Italian Deli.

Patrick’s family has been serving the Dunmore area for decades, but the journey of Carmella’s Sauce – A Taste of Bunker Hill has only just begun in the last couple of years.

Unfortunately, in 2020, Patrick’s grandmother, Carmella, passed away. It was then that Patrick knew he wanted to do something to keep her legacy growing. “In order to keep her spirit alive and keep the family name rolling on, we started Carmella’s Sauce,” says Patrick.

The process of getting the sauce on shelves was not an easy task, especially with all the delays caused by COVID in 2020, but they took it step by step. “We started making sample bottles, we put them out at the restaurant and Carmella’s Deli, and a lot of people took a liking to it. We realized this might be something that can catch on.”

Carmella’s Sauce is Carmella’s very own recipe that has been used at the restaurant for years.

*Patrick Padula is shown left with his wife Danielle.*

After all the logistics were completed, a full-circle moment happened for Patrick when, on November 22, 2022, Carmella’s Sauce was placed on the shelves of their very first store, Riccardo’s, where Patrick worked when he was in high school.

Fast forward to today, and you can find Carmella’s Sauce in over 100 grocery stores, including: Price Chopper, Gerrity’s, and ShopRite. Not to mention many locations in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

Patrick does not plan on stopping here. He has a dream and plans on accomplishing it. “My first and main goal is to keep my grandmother’s name, Carmella, around forever,” he shares. “My second goal is to teach people that our pasta sauces are for more than just pastas.”

He reminds us that Carmella’s Sauce can be used on numerous dishes, from pizza sauce to chicken cutlets. Carmella’s is a restaurant-quality sauce that you can have right in your own home!

This whole endeavor is a beautiful way to memorialize an amazing woman who has been feeding people throughout NEPA for years. You can find Carmella’s picture right on the jar itself. Patrick says, “We’re shooting for the stars, hoping to be in every grocery store.”

A huge part of this journey for Patrick is the support from the community he has been receiving. “I love when someone from the community tells me how excellent the product is. I love getting feedback or when people send us photos of what they’ve made. When we get stuff like that from customers, it really means a lot to us,” he shares.

Patrick offers some advice to anyone looking to pursue their dreams: “Don’t ever hold yourself back. Don’t overthink about chasing your dream. Put your mind to it and accomplish it.”

Make sure to check out Carmella’s Sauce when you get the chance and don’t forget to visit their many locations.

Carmella’s Restaurant is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Carmella’s Italian Deli is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and while the weather is still nice, make sure to cool down with some of your favorite ice cream flavors at Padula’s, open every day from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

May Carmella continue to feed the community for years to come!

Bucktown Business Beat: Space Time Mead & Cider Works

Posted on July 3, 2024 by The Dunmorean

“What the heck is that place?!” Some people may have asked while driving by Space Time Mead & Cider Works. I myself was not sure what I was walking towards when I saw a Spacetime stand at a Christmas event about two years ago. I just knew the astronaut intrigued me.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Dan Schreffler, the owner of Space Time Mead & Cider Works, to learn not only what mead is, but also the story of how this unique shop came to be.

Dan graduated from Penn State in 1986 and then worked for MetLife Insurance Company as a Director of IT for many years.

About 13 years ago, Dan was diagnosed and successfully treated for colon cancer. MetLife was very supportive during this time, allowing him to come back to work slowly. However, Dan knew retirement was coming. “Do I really want to retire from corporate America? Is that how I want to spend the rest of my life?”

Dan came to the conclusion that he was not ready to leave corporate America and was now faced with a new question,“Well, what do I want to be when I grow up?”

In 2017, Dan left MetLife and took a year off to figure out what he wanted to do.

“Originally, I thought I was going to open up a brewery. I was making my own beer at home; I was making wine and mead,”said Dan.

During his year off, he took the time to visit many different wineries and breweries. Then he said, “You know what? We have enough fine winemakers and breweries are coming up.” Mead was still one of Dan’s personal favorites, and he knew it would be unique, so he took the chance to see if he could make it work.

A place at 419 S Blakley Street was available for rent before Dan even knew what it was going to be; he just knew he needed to grab the location.

“It was the right time in my life; this was the right place, so we rolled the dice and said, we’re going to open up a meadery in Dunmore!” he decided.

And open up a meadery they did, choosing the name “Space Time.” Our very own Dunmorean astronaut Paul Richards served as inspiration for the name. Dan also explained, “When people come in to buy a bottle of wine, it’s always about a time and place. We wanted to make sure we had a product for any of those moments and any of those places.”

Dan Schreffler

Being that Dan is now retired, and given his business background which allows him to run the financial aspects of the business smoothly, he’s able to focus on the important things: the quality of the mead. But what is mead? To my surprise, it’s fairly simple—all you need is water and honey!

Space Time Mead & Cider Works uses locally grown ingredients for their mead exclusively. They even have a Harvest Mead that is made using fruits that grow in Dan’s backyard. One of their main ingredients is, of course, honey. Their honey comes directly from the hives of NEPA, collaborating with companies such as Murphy’s Bee Farm and The Beekeeper’s Daughter.

Not only are the ingredients local, but their art is too. Space Time gives local artists a platform by using their art on bottle labels. All of them are amazing!

Another big part of their mission is to improve the quality of life in the area.

“Whatever we do, we want to make sure it’s as sustainable as possible because we are getting our products locally. So we’re worried about clean air, clean soil, clean water; otherwise, we poison the very things we use to make our wine,”said Dan.

One percent of all Spacetime sales go to the Lackawanna River Corridor Association. The LRCA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore and conserve the Lackawanna River and its watershed.

Dan, along with Space Time, are at a place where they’re able to do everything they would like to do at their current location. Now, they would like to shift their focus to showcasing Pennsylvania’s local ingredients coupled with their winemaking skills.

Recently, Space Time Mead & Cider received a Platinum Award for their “Leap Year” cider in Cider Craft Magazine! This was a big moment for Dan, similar to when couples come into his shop to buy wine for their weddings.

Dan’s advice to anyone looking to open a business is to “Go in with eyes wide open and make sure you have the right financial knowledge.” He reminds us not to ruin a good hobb— if you love to bake, perhaps work for a bakery before opening your own, just to test the waters.

So next time you are driving down Blakeley Street and see the astronaut logo, “Stop on in, sample what we got, and check us out. What we’re doing here is fairly unique, not just for Dunmore, but for Pennsylvania. Mead-making and the quality of stuff we’re doing with all local ingredients, it’s a special story and it’s right in our backyard, so you should come say hello to us!” says Dan.

Space Time Mead & Cider Works is open Thursday from 11-7, Friday from 11-6, and Saturday from 11-5. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram or at spacetimemeadworks.com.

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One of Space Time’s creations was recently recognized by CiderCraft Magazine. Click to read more about that!