WRT and the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) set out on a mission as part of our goal to capture the voices of the community in order to develop a revitalization plan for the Pine Brook Neighborhood. 

Amidst a global pandemic, we knew engagement might be a challenge. After brainstorming, we called upon a  photojournalist, Annie Grossinger, to help tell the Pine Brook story through documenting our conversations, and capturing images of those most invested in its future -- the business owners and residents. The next generation of the Pine Brook neighborhood largely depends upon those who are here now, those who drive change and champion this evolution because their livelihoods depend on its success.

This is a personal story of investment, not only in themselves, but their families, their city, their business peers, and now, us. 

Curating an authentic place

The existing business owners are integral to the revitalization strategy for it to be adopted by the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC). We needed to hear their thoughts on what makes this place special, what makes their businesses work and how we can drive change for a more prosperous, inclusive, and workable district along the Pine Brook corridor.

Curating the right mix of businesses and activities to complement the existing creative and industrial fabric of Pine Brook will be vital to the continued success of the area to drive businesses and pedestrian traffic. 

Pop's Tires, the newcomer & transplant

Seeing the reality of a need, and teaching themselves the trade from watching youtube videos demonstrates the scrapy resilience required to start something, especially during a global pandemic. 

For Alfred, Shyrone and Shawn starting Pop’s tires wasn’t just about doing something positive, it was also about reinventing their lives for their kids --Sylee, Stephanie, and Nari  – who are helpers around the shop. They take pride in their business, always making an effort to take care of our area – keep it neat, show our neighbors love, take care of them and they take care of us. 

Antonio Fiorillo came over from Italy at age 19. Carmine (pictured) is Antonio’s son. Antonio had learned to make pizza in the Italian village where he grew up in. Their family used to live over on Albright Avenue and their father Antionio would travel all over for work. Eventually, he decided he wanted to work closer to home, and in 1983 he opened up the pizza shop.

When Antonio first opened up the shop, people gave him a hard time – broke the shop windows and didn't respect the newcomer to the area. Maybe his Italian heritage had something to do with it. Hard to know. "It isn’t really like that anymore but back then it mattered that he wasn’t from Scranton. But he was really determined and over time he became friends with people in the community – even with some of the people who had broken the windows. He was very forgiving and resilient," said Carmine.