Barberton pizza joint shuttering

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BARBERTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Parasson’s was born in Barberton as Tonyo’s Pizza. The chain is consolidating all operations into its Waterloo Road location, shuttering its birthplace.

 

By BOB MOREHEAD

BGNN senior staff writer

BARBERTON  COVID stole a lot, and not just our loved ones. Now, four years post-peak, we’re still reaping the fallout.

Parasson’s Italian Restaurant, on Wooster Road N, closed its dining room during the pandemic. As restrictions eased, the eatery had trouble recovering enough staff, so it remained carryout only ever since.

The establishment posted on its website April 29 that both its Barberton and Stow locations were closing, consolidating operations to the Waterloo Road location, which reopens its dining room June 3.

“To simplify and streamline operations and to improve efficiency, we are consolidating our restaurants into a single location,” President Tony Parasson said in the notice. “This will better enable us to continue to provide the excellent homemade food, service, cleanliness and value that our customers have come to expect since our founding in 1960.”

That founding was in Barberton, when Parasson’s father opened Tonyo’s Pizza in an old bakery on the footprint of the current Barberton location. It was well regarded for its affordable prices and hot dog bun garlic bread.

The Akron and Stow shops followed in the following decade. The restaurants rebranded under the Parasson name and the elaborate wooden edifice in Barberton replaced the ex-bakery. The chain’s North Hill location closed in 2016; it is now a Thai restaurant.

“Our Akron location was chosen because it is centrally located between Barberton and Stow and has always been our busiest location,” Parasson said. “All employees at our Barberton and Stow locations have been offered jobs at our Akron location.”