Luigi and Connie Rea (pronounced “RAY”) along with their daughter, Joanna, emigrated from Italy and settled in Crafton, Pennsylvania in the early 1970s. They soon had two more children, Maria and Gino and to provide for his family, Luigi became a self-employed concrete contractor. In 1991, Luigi and Connie had an idea of owning and operating a small restaurant. After a brief search, an ad in the local Pennysaver caught their attention. The ad was for a small diner in Coraopolis called “Break & Enjoy,” previously known as “Billy’s Terrace” and also “Fusco’s.”
On April 4, 1991, Rea’s Restaurant first opened its doors for business. Initially, business at Rea’s was slow, despite being opened seven days a week. But with hard work and perseverance, along with outstanding customer loyalty, business grew steadily each year. After Luigi passed away in 1997, Connie and Joanna were the only two family members working at the restaurant full time. Therefore, they made the decision to close Mondays.