Santa, tree display bring holiday spirit to Monongahela

By Kaylie Moore
kmoore@yourmvi.com
A Monongahela restaurant is serving fine food and holiday cheer in a big way this month.
Angelo’s II, located at 111 Third St., is attracting major attention for its Christmas decorations, including snowflake window lighting displays; a giant, inflatable, rooftop Santa Claus; and a 17-foot lighted Christmas tree affixed to the building’s exterior corner facing the Main Street intersection.
Owner Ryan Dzimiera of Monongahela said he and his wife, Bethany, started with a smaller display last year, but his uncle, Peter Dzimiera, had bigger plans this holiday season.
“We’ve been talking about this since Halloween, what kind of different things we could do,” Ryan Dzimiera said. “Then Uncle Pete came up with the corner tree like they had on the old Horne’s building in Pittsburgh. It was nothing even close to this last year.”
Peter Dzimiera built the tree, which comprises eight separate pieces, out of PVC pipe, wire mesh and other basic materials before adding the garland, lights and more.
“I didn’t think it was going to be as elaborate as it was, but when I saw that first 17-foot piece done on Thanksgiving Day, I thought, ‘Holy cow; he really put a lot of work into this,’” Ryan Dzimiera said.
Assembling the tree was “a family affair,” complete with use of a bucket truck and Ryan’s brother, Wesley Dzimiera, using his iron-working skills to mount the pieces. The entire Dzimiera family spent about a week completing the full display, which will remain in place until January.
“I wish a lot of other businesses would do stuff like this, but now I see firsthand that it’s a lot of work,” Ryan Dzimiera said. “It’s definitely a positive thing for the entire town; not just Angelo’s in particular.”
Photos of the restaurant’s decor spread across social media over the weekend, with several posts on The New Eagle and Mon City Area Scoop Facebook page drawing positive feedback.
Colleen Emerick wrote, “WOW! I love it! And so will all the kids when they see it! Merry Christmas!”
“Kudos to Ryan and family! A small business owner that is taking pride in his business and town!” wrote Larry Golashewski.
Judy Muntan used the social media platform to praise the Dzimiera family for accomplishing exactly what they set out to do.
“Very nice. Sure great for (the) holiday. Makes our town of Monongahela look so pretty,” Muntan wrote. “Makes me think of years back to Horne’s when they had a Christmas tree on their building (in) downtown (Pittsburgh).”
“Hands down the best decoration in this town in many years,” Corrina Withrow wrote.
Many commenters thanked the Dzimieras for the display and bring holiday cheer to the city.
“Everybody loves it, especially the kids,” Ryan Dzimiera said. “I’m looking out the window right now and see people taking pictures, so it’s a real traffic stopper.
“I think it’s just very festive and uplifting, and we’re happy to spread that joy here in Mon City.”
For more information on all the restaurant’s holiday happenings, call 724-292-8375 or visit the Angelo’s II page on Facebook.