Five years old is an age for playgrounds and cartoons, not for stocking shelves and learning the grocery trade. But one Pennsylvania man began working at that age, and the business he helped build now carries more than 5,000 Italian products.
The store began small, with a family that kept showing up and a commitment to authenticity that never faded. Shelves filled with imported pasta, olive oils, cured meats, and cheeses.
The inventory grew, the reputation spread, and the place became a destination for cooks and curious eaters. He learned the business from the ground up, sweeping floors and labeling jars before he could see over the counter.
Decades later, the same care remains. Customers walk aisles lined with items they cannot find anywhere else.
The smell of aged cheese and fresh bread fills the air. This is not a supermarket.
It is a labor of love, built one product at a time. Hours slip away while browsing.
A Storefront Where Shopping Lists Go To Grow
Plenty of stores sell groceries, but few have a nickname that locals use like a family name. The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company is better known as Penn Mac.
The shop lives in the Strip District, a busy Pittsburgh neighborhood known for food markets and specialty sellers. It works as an Italian specialty store, a gourmet food importer, and a wholesale distributor all at once.
That mix matters more than you might think. A home cook can grab one jar of pesto while a restaurant owner orders supplies by the case.
The retail floor alone stocks more than 5,000 specialty products. That number explains why a quick stop for pasta can somehow fill an entire shopping bag.
A smart plan is to arrive with a short list and some extra patience. Weekends can get busy, according to several recent reviews, so earlier visits may feel calmer.
Bring a little curiosity along too. Many shoppers mention finding items they had searched for elsewhere without luck.
Three Brothers From Sicily And A Lot Of Pasta
Back in 1902, three brothers decided Pittsburgh needed more pasta. Augustino, Salvatore, and Michael Sunseri came from Trabia, a town in Sicily.
Their first business was not a grocery store at all. The brothers started out manufacturing pasta in Sharpsburg, near Pittsburgh.
Early success did not come easy. A fire nearly wiped out the young company, which would have ended the story right there.
Instead, the brothers rebuilt and even expanded. That kind of stubborn comeback became part of the company’s foundation.
After rebuilding, they started selling more than noodles. Olive oil, spices, cheeses, and other specialty foods joined the lineup.
Think about what that shift meant for Italian families in the area back then. Finding familiar ingredients from home could have been a real challenge without a shop like this.
Fun fact for your next trivia night. The business name still says macaroni, even though pasta is now just one part of a huge catalog.
Knowing this history makes a visit feel different. The shelves you browse today grew out of a small pasta operation and a family that refused to quit after a disaster.
That is a pretty good lesson for any kid starting their first job.
Labeling Spices Before Most Kids Learn Fractions
Some people remember their first job at sixteen. David Sunseri started helping at Penn Mac when he was only five years old, by his own account.
His early tasks were simple but important. He put labels on spices and helped package pasta.
The family handoff goes back even further. In the late 1940s, Augustino’s sons, Robert and Salvatore, took over running the company.
Robert was known around the family as Uncle Bob. Their leadership carried the business into a new era of growth.
Today the company is in its third generation of family management. David runs it with his brothers Rob, Rick, and Bill, plus his sister Judy Como.
All five siblings are partners in the business. That is a lot of family dinners where work probably comes up.
There is a practical takeaway here if you have a family business or dream of one. Small chores done early can teach how every part of a store actually works.
Labeling jars might seem boring to a kid. Yet it builds a deep knowledge of products that customers can feel at the counter decades later.
One recent review even mentions Bill introducing himself to a shopper in the aisles.
How Supermarkets Pushed The Business Toward Pizzerias
Big chain supermarkets changed how America shopped in the 1950s. Around 1956, Penn Mac responded with a clever move.
The company shifted its wholesale focus toward Italian restaurants and pizzerias. Instead of competing head to head with giant grocery chains, it found customers who needed specialty supplies in bulk.
That decision still shapes the business today. The wholesale division now offers more than 9,000 items.
Here is a surprising bit of history. According to David Sunseri in a 2016 interview, Penn Mac was the first company in the United States to import De Cecco pasta.
You have probably seen that blue box on store shelves. Its journey to American kitchens connects back to this family operation.
Regular shoppers can benefit from the wholesale side too. One recent review suggests simply asking about wholesale pricing when buying in larger amounts.
That tip is handy for big family parties or holiday baking. Buying ingredients like mascarpone or ladyfingers in volume can stretch a budget.
The bigger lesson is about adapting. When the market changed, the family did not close up shop.
They looked around, found a new need, and filled it. That flexibility helps explain how a pasta maker from 1902 is still busy today.
Nearly 400 Cheeses And One Very Busy Counter
Cheese lovers, brace yourselves. Penn Mac carries nearly 400 kinds of cheese, with 350 to 380 on hand at any given time.
Many of those cheeses are cut to order for retail customers. That means you can ask for the amount you actually need instead of a giant block.
Saturday mornings get serious at this counter. Five or six employees often work the cheese section to keep up with shoppers.
Recent reviews repeatedly mention that samples are offered before you buy. Shoppers have named smoked gouda, Parmesan, and goat cheese among the things they tried.
So here is a friendly strategy. Ask the staff what they would pick if you feel lost in the choices.
Several reviewers say they found new favorites exactly that way. Knowledgeable staff is the most mentioned topic in the store’s Google reviews.
A quick warning for sensitive noses seems fair. A few shoppers joke that the cheese area has a very strong aroma.
That smell simply comes with hundreds of cheeses sharing one space. If you love bold flavors, consider it a welcome sign.
Planning a party platter? Bring a rough guest count so the counter staff can help you size portions.
Olive Oil By The Dozens And Pasta In Every Shape
Choosing olive oil at a regular grocery store usually takes ten seconds. At Penn Mac, you might need a few minutes, since the shop stocks about 150 kinds.
One recent review even mentions oils available from a tap. That is a fun detail for anyone who likes trying something new.
The pasta aisle tells a similar story. International brands of gourmet pasta fill the shelves, along with fresh pasta options.
Penn Mac also sells its own handcrafted sauces. You will find pesto, peppers, hot sauces, and plenty of tomatoes and tomato sauces nearby.
Baking fans get attention too. The store carries baking ingredients, and one older review praised finding bread flour when it was hard to get elsewhere.
Coffee drinkers can pick up coffee beans and ground espresso. Breads and crackers include loaves from Breadworks, a Pittsburgh bakery.
Gluten-free shoppers have options as well. A recent reviewer noted the store had expanded its gluten-free selection.
Kitchen gadgets and pasta makers round things out. If you have ever wanted to roll your own noodles, the tools are right there.
A simple tip is to plan one meal around a new ingredient. That keeps the trip fun without overwhelming your pantry.
Chipped Ham, Pierogies, And Other Pittsburgh Pride
Italian roots run deep here, but the store has a soft spot for its hometown. A whole section celebrates Pittsburgh Favorites.
Chipped ham and barbecue sauce show up on that list. So do Pierogies Plus products and drinks from Natrona Bottling Co.
Penn Mac adds its own rubs, along with hot sauces and BBQ sauces. It makes for an easy gift basket for anyone who moved away from the city.
Apparel joins the fun too. Pittsburgh-themed t-shirts, hats, and aprons are available.
The deli counter is another big draw. It offers meats such as Prosciutto Cotto and Capocollo Hot, plus deli salads, olives, vegetables, dips, and spreads.
The deli earns frequent mentions in recent reviews. Meats and spices also come up often, which fits the store’s wide range.
The building itself adds character. David Sunseri said in 2016 that the store keeps much of its early 1900s look, with wood floors and tin ceilings.
He described the result as a 100-year-old Italian smell. That might be the best possible way to describe a grocery store.
Want a Pittsburgh souvenir that is actually useful? A local sauce plus an apron beats another fridge magnet.
Cheese Clubs And Coolers For Faraway Fans
Living hundreds of miles from Pittsburgh does not have to mean missing out. Penn Mac ships products nationwide through its website, pennmac.com.
Perishable orders get extra care. They travel in two-inch thick foam coolers or recyclable EcoMax paper-based liners, packed with ice packs and dry ice.
Monthly clubs make the experience ongoing. Options include a Cheese of the Month Club, a Pasta of the Month Club, and a Ravioli of the Month Club.
Olive oil fans can sign up for a one year Extra Virgin Olive Oil Club. It is a thoughtful gift for the cook who seems to own everything already.
Seasonal items appear throughout the year as well. Checking the website before a holiday can help you spot special products.
One recent shopper said they were glad the website existed after leaving items behind. Without a cooler for the drive home, ordering online was the easy fix.
The business also stresses quality food at affordable prices. Several reviewers mention prices lower than they expected.
From a five-year-old labeling spice jars to boxes shipped across the country, the family has come a long way. Every order still connects back to that 1902 pasta shop and its stubborn, hardworking founders.
Address: at 2010 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
