If you’ve read my book, A Story About Pizza, you already know that my roots run deep in the East End of Windber, Pennsylvania. Growing up, our Saturdays followed a very strict, very sacred routine. Before the lunch rush at our family’s pizza shop even crossed anyone’s mind, my grandmother would look at me and say, “Call Rhoda and go down to Leone’s and get a sub.” 

To this day, whenever I go back home, my dad still asks the same question on Saturday morning: “You guys want a sub from Leone’s?” The answer, naturally, is always yes.

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Victoria Hiteshew on the podcast. Vicki is the force keeping the legacy alive at Leone’s Italian Market, a place that hasn’t just been a cornerstone of my childhood, but a pillar of our entire community for over a century.

The 78-Year Legacy of Rhoda Leone

When you talk about Leone’s, you have to talk about Vicki’s grandmother, Rhoda Leone. Her story is the absolute soul of the East End. The building originally operated as a general store starting in 1900 before the Leone family took over in 1922. Rhoda started working at the market in 1941 when she was just 17 years old. After her husband passed away unexpectedly at a young age, the store became her livelihood, and she poured every ounce of her heart into making it work.

Back in the late 1950s, a family member suggested she try selling deli subs. The very first day, she sold five of them and thought it was the greatest achievement in the world. From those five humble sandwiches grew a generational powerhouse. Rhoda worked six days a week, from six in the morning to six at night, serving the community for an unbelievable 78 years until she passed away in 2019 at the age of 95.

Vicki shared a story on the podcast that had me holding back tears. Right after Rhoda passed, a customer came in, looked around, and asked where she was. When Vicki gently broke the news, the man welled up right then and there. He explained that years ago, during a painful divorce, he had nowhere to go and no one to cook for him. Every evening, he’d buy a sub from Rhoda, and every evening she would comfort him, saying, “Don’t worry, you’re going to find somebody. It’s going to work out.”

He eventually did, and the very first place he brought his new partner was Leone’s to meet Rhoda. That wasn’t just a deli counter. It was a place where people were seen, heard, and fed.

“In food, it’s OK to be human. You don’t have to just be food.”

– Victoria Hiteshew

Evolving While Keeping the Soul Alive

Taking over an over 100-year-old business is no small feat, but Vicki has stepped into those shoes with respect for the past and a clear vision for the future. When Rhoda passed right before the pandemic hit, closing wasn’t an option.

Since taking the reins, Vicki has brought some incredible, thoughtful changes to the block. Leone’s bought the neighboring hardware building, knocked through the adjacent wall, and created a cozy indoor seating space for customers who used to eat their subs in their cars.

Beyond their famous Italian and cheese subs, packed with pimento, Muenster, and provolone, they’ve adapted to modern tastes by adding wraps, fresh salads, and even a viral breadless pickle sandwich for low-carb and gluten-free diets.

She even restored a piece of lost neighborhood history. After the old Anderson’s building was torn down, Vicki transformed part of the store into a classic candy shop area packed with retro treats, bringing adult customers right back to their childhood days.

The Magic of the East End

What makes our corner of Windber so special is the camaraderie. A block up from Leone’s is our place, D’Arc’s Pizza, and right nearby is Rizzo’s Restaurant. We all started as small neighborhood markets, and we all grew into local institutions together.

There’s no cutthroat competition here, just pure, deep-rooted neighborhood pride. On any given day, you’ll find people taking a weekend drive into Windber specifically to hit all three spots: a sub for lunch from Leone’s, a pizza from D’Arc’s, and pasta night at Rizzo’s.

If you haven’t made the pilgrimage to the East End of Windber yet, consider this your official invitation. Walk in, grab a sub, look for the illuminated sign in the window that proudly reads “World Famous Subs,” and take in a piece of living history.

Follow to keep up with Leone’s on Instagram @leonesmarket

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Get our books: A Story About Pizza, Pietro’s Pizza, Pietro’s Pizza Toppings, Pietro’s Italian Christmas.