I was a student, living in Essington, PA in 1950…
I remember Romano’s as the “hoagie/pizza shop on the corner of Wanamaker Ave and the “Industrial Highway” in Essington, where everyone went for pizza and hoagies.
One day, when I was in the shop, there was Mr. Romano (Nat) and several local guys having a conversation about this baked sandwich Mr. Romano was making and was selling very well, but had no name. The conversation was centered around the fact that the sandwich should at least have a name.
What should they call it?
At the time there was a scandal in the news about the married actress Ingrid Bergman and her affair with Roberto Rossolini while making the moving “Stromboli” on the Isle of Stromboli, Italy. Bill Schofield said, “why don’t you call it a Stromboli.” So that’s what Nat (Nazzereno) Romano named the sandwich.
With the passage of time, almost 60 years, I have been telling and re-telling this story to more than a few raised eyebrows. By now there must be thousands of pseudo Stromboli’s. Seems you can sell anything and call it Stromboli.
But, I know the real deal, I was there.
Betty Lee McHale
Proud Mother of Pete Romano
