It is with great sadness that we are saying goodbye to Paul DeRobertis, who has just sold Paul’s Italian Restaurant in Southampton Village [“Paul’s Italian Restaurant Sells; New Owner To Honor Its Legacy,” 27east.com, May 17].
Anyone who’s been in Southampton for more than a day has probably been to Paul’s. Everyone knows that, besides the consistency of the delicious food, the other constant has always been Paul, his wife, Laurie, his sons, daughters and grandchildren, all of whom have pitched in on and off over the years, creating the gold standard of a family business.
I have been frequenting Paul’s for decades, and pretty much every single time I went there to either take out food or eat in, Paul is there working. Not watching or hanging around, but working. If it was during the day or early evening, Laurie was most likely there — working. And it was likely we were waited on by one of his children, or grandchildren, and one of his two sons was certainly responsible for the delicious food we ate, because they were working in the kitchen.
The work ethic of that family is absolutely incredible and resulted in a great deal of loyalty from customers like my husband and myself for decades.
But perhaps what I will most miss about Paul and his family is the incredible sense of generosity they have shown to the community. He was always donating something or providing something to the nonprofits in the community, especially the Timothy Hill Ranch in Riverhead. His walls are filled with photos of the Little League teams that he supported over the years.
We should all take a lesson from their kind of work ethic and sense of community spirit. I only hope that Paul and Laurie enjoy their retirement as much as they have brought joy to so many in the Hamptons for 50 years. They will be very much missed.
Paula Angelone, Ph.D.
Southampton Village
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