from the 1958 Neenah-Menasha Telephone Directory Yellow Pages
In an era when pizza was still considered novel, pizza reached downtown Menasha in the Tuchscherer's block in the 1950's. It is said that before the 1940s, pizza consumption was limited mostly to Italian immigrants and their descendants. The big breakthrough came after World War II. Allied troops occupying Italy, discovered the pizzeria and brought the idea back to America. You can see the Pizza Place's sign in the photo below if you squint really hard:
David, you really tweaked a pleasant memory from my high school days. It was about 1956 or 1957 that The Pizza Place opened. For teenagers the Pizza Place offered a local alternative to a coke and French fries at Loening’s Restaurant across the street. As I recall the owners also ran the Pizza Palace on College Ave. in Appleton. Rock and Roll was new and our parents didn’t like it. Pizza was also new (to us); it had a unique appearance and taste. It was messy and delicious. Few parents ventured to try it, ensuring it to be even a greater hit with teens. I expect business picked up after we, as sophomore boys at SMHS, were lectured by Father Beck to avoid eating pizza on a date as it was an “occasion of sin,” a passion arousing food. Many a girl must have put on weight that following weekend.
ReplyDeleteJim Krahenbuhl
Great story, Jim. I can only imagine the panic the Church stalwarts of that era had due to the infectious beats of rock and roll. And then to add the exotic cuisine of romantic Napoli! Occasion of sin, indeed!
ReplyDeleteThis was my typical "opening" during confession at St. John's.
ReplyDeleteBless me father for I have sinned. I consumed 3 pepperoni and 2 cheese & sausage pizzas.
If I recall correctly, the pepperoni's earned an Our Father and the sausage a Hail Mary.
My first pizza ever!
ReplyDelete