Behind the scenes of Wantagh businesses

Members of Wantagh High School Junior Chamber of Commerce, along with their adviser, Jamie Stanulis, accompanied by Joe Farinella, got first hand experience of seeing how successful Wantagh businesses run. Farinella, past president of Wantagh Chamber of Commerce and myself, a retired teacher of Wantagh High School and past advisor to the Junior Chamber, took the students on a tour of the community.

The Junior Chamber members were Alexandra Burruano, Victoria Zozzaro, Jonathan Tanner, Joseph Calise, Brandon Blumstein, Kenneth Mintz, Christopher Geniale, Amanda Caso, Kerrin Murphy and Alexis Conway.

First on the list was a visit to McDonalds with a guided tour by manager Kris Feeney. It was so impressive noting the many tasks that take place behind the scenes that one would not imagine. Fast-food restaurants are working to make and serve the food fresh, hot and in a speedy fashion. Feeney said that 75 percent of orders come from the drive-through. He shared a wealth of information, and gave the students much to think about when working at any establishment, reminding them that a smile goes a long way. Although we evidentially were in the path of everything going on, especially at the height of breakfast time, each worker who passed us did so with a smile. The tour ended with breakfast.

Next, we visited the Wantagh Public Library and had a guided tour from the director, Maggie Marino, along with Jennifer McHugh and Susan Finck. They informed us of the activities planned for children of all ages and adults. All student questions were addressed and we came away with a better understanding of the purchasing of books, the distribution of material, the use of technology with computers and iPads, the availability of getting access to a book from a foreign country, how college texts can also be obtained, and the multitude of services provided by the library.

Then it was on to South Shore Customs, owned by partners Kevin Ciminelli and Ian Borneman, both graduates of Wantagh High School. The Wantagh shop has been in business only for the past eight months. Students learned the process of silk screening and the many steps taken to create the finished product. The technical aspects were explained in a way that were easily grasped and held our interest to the very end, when each was presented with a silk-screened shirt.

On to Cherrywood Shopping Center where we toured Iavarone Brothers. Marco was our tour guide and took us around to each section of the store. The students enjoyed the tasty picks of cheeses, olives and cake. The many products that bear the Iavarone name were all produced at the store itself. The unique selections of a multitude of categories were found on the shelves. Marco told stories of some of the imports that were fascinating to hear.

A few steps away took us to Realty Advisors, where we were greeted by the proprietor, Christopher Kaufman. We sat at a large conference table as he told of the beginnings in real estate, and the ups and downs of the market. He stressed the importance of being a “People Person.” Chris shared how he took away advice from well-known motivational speaker Anthony Robins: “If there is one thing in life, it is to get out of your comfort zone and keep venturing out of it to expand it, each time go out a little further and further and that will lead you to your goal in business and in life.” Chris shared many aspects of his experiences and that of other agents in his office, which was uplifting, informative and interesting.

Another few steps away, we entered Umberto’s Pizzeria where we met Carlos, the owner and his son, Michael, who was our tour guide. How fascinating it was to see the actual makings of some of the entrees on their menu. Everything is made from scratch and from their own recipes. No cans are brought in to the restaurant. We witnessed the large vat, which looked like a miniature bathtub, cooking the sauce. We saw their pasta sheets ready to make lasagna in their huge pan. The amount of cheeses, both ricotta and mozzarella, combined with the huge amount of cooked sausage meat and meatballs that went over the layers of lasagna was mind-boggling. Then, there was Cappellini, a mixture of angle hair pasta in a white cream sauce layered in on a cookie sheet, baked, then cut into bite size pieces and fried…looking yummy!

Umberto’s has seven restaurants and each one is managed by a family member. This year, Umberto’s of Wantagh is celebrating its 50th anniversary and we congratulate them and wish them many more. Lunch was served to us which consisted of tastings of homemade breads (Carlos’s own recipe), Cappellini with dipping sauce and, of course, pizza.

We want to thank each and every one of the six establishments we had the pleasure of getting to know a lot better and we are proud to have such businesses in our community that take pride in their contributions to those they serve.