‘We are responsible for putting a smile on people’s faces.’
Gino & Joe's keeps the pizza flying at Main Place Mall
Customers at Gino & Joe’s Pizzeria can be excused for being in a New York state of mind. They constantly tell Michael Ferro, proprietor of the street-level restaurant in Main Place Mall, how much they appreciate his New York-style pizza.
“I hear it every day, 10 times a day,” said Ferro, a large man with a booming voice that broadcasts his Italian heritage. “That makes my day.”
Gino & Joe’s celebrated its silver anniversary in Main Place Mall this year, having opened in 1983 at the same time as the Food Court. Ferro bought the upstairs eating spot about a year later, and opened the downstairs restaurant soon after.
Besides Ferro’s restaurant, only Buffalo Beef & Wings, which retains original ownership by the Spada family; the upstairs Gino & Joe’s; and Zestos Greek eatery, the successor to two former Greek eating spots, all in the Food Court, still remain from 1983.
It’s clear watching Ferro as he jokes with customers or pulls a pizza pie out of the oven that he enjoys his job.
“We are the people responsible for putting a smile on people’s faces. That is part of our job, whether cracking a joke or making people feel comfortable,” Ferro said.
“I love the people, the employees. I’m a people person. And I like the excitement of the business.”
New York-style pizza, which dates back to 1905 in New York’s Little Italy, is identified by its wide, thick and foldable slices. It’s traditionally hand tossed.
Ferro says the secret to his success are the ingredients he uses, and the preparation.
“We’re one of the few people who still grind their own tomatoes. Nobody grinds their own tomatoes anymore. I get the whole tomato and juice from Italy,” he said, through a supplier in New Jersey.
“We also use the best, high-gluten flour, and 100-percent mozzarella cheese.”
Gino & Joe’s is a family affair. His wife Patricia handles most of the paper work, while older son, Antonio, works alongside his father, the same way younger son Frankie did for several years.
“It’s nice to work with your own son every day, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Ferro said.
Antonio Ferro is quick to return the compliment: “I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor.”
Michael Ferro, 52, was born south of Naples, Italy. His father, a manual laborer, moved his wife and two children to the United States in 1975.
“We came for the same reasons every immigrant comes — we were in a small town, and there was no work,” Ferro said.
“Italy was in bad shape, unless you had your own business or came from a wealthy family.”
Ferro was 19 and a high school graduate when the family settled in Auburn, where his father’s sister lived.
While learning English, Ferro worked for the first five years at an automobile factory in Syracuse. During a brief period of unemployment, an owner of Gino & Joe’s he knew asked him to come work with them.
Ferro eventually bought the Finger Lakes store, selling it several years later to take over Gino & Joe’s in Buffalo.
Ferro sold both Main Place Mall restaurants in 1992, plus food spots he opened as Gino’s New York Pizza in Niagara Fall’s Rainbow Mall, Lockport Mall and in Depew.
Next, he opened six restaurants in Upstate New York in a four-year period, purposely selling them by 1997 when he bought back the downstairs Gino & Joe’s.
“Downtown Buffalo was always one of my favorite stores, and I made it a part of my option to buy it back if I wanted to, and I’m glad I did,” said Ferro, who lives in Elma.
“I love the City of Buffalo, the people. It’s a big city with small city values,” Ferro said.
In a mall marked by vacancies, Gino & Joe’s has maintained a loyal customer base. The constant stream of customers during busy hours is a testament to the store’s staying power.
Marcia Rose frequently brings family members or coworkers with her to Gino & Joe’s.
“The taste of pizza here is just awesome. It makes you come back for more and more,” Rose said.
Ferro said the hardest part of his job is training new employees. He takes pride when they work well.
“These people don’t always come in like that; they become like that. My job is to train the people the right way,” Ferro said.
“Considering all the struggles with downtown, and that this used to be a regular mall full of stores, we are very fortunate to do as well as we do,” Ferro said.
“There is always concern about what our future looks like, but we’ve been here 25 years. We appreciate Buffalo.
“Twenty five down, 25 to go,” he laughed.
