May 01, 2019
Mack's Pizza /Facebook
Joe Mack opened Mack's Pizza on the Wildwood boardwalk in 1953.
Joe Mack, a luminary of pizza at the Jersey Shore, died Tuesday morning at 91 years old.
The founder of Mack's Pizza in Wildwood has boardwalk roots dating back to 1953, when his father, Anthony "Tony" Mackrone, brought his famed Trenton tomato pies to the shore.
That year, Joe Mack opened up the iconic Mack's Pizza, which has served the Wildwood boardwalk for more than 65 years.
The Facebook account "Watch the Tramcar Please" posted a statement offering condolences to the family.
“We are very sad tonight in Wildwood, NJ to announce that our good friend Joe Mack, founder and owner of Mack’s Pizza passed away this morning," the post said. "Our condolences to the Mack Family, to all current and former employees and all Wildwoodians who for generations loved his famous Mack’s Pizza.”
The Mack family opened another Mack's Pizza location in Stone Harbor in 1987, led by Tony Mack's second-oldest grandson, Bob Moloney. A third location, Joe Mack's Boardwalk Pizza, remains in Philadelphia at 1112 S. Ninth Street.
Frank Mack, a cousin of Tony Manco, was a co-owner of the original Mack & Manco's in Ocean City, which has since opened several locations under the name Manco & Manco.
The Wildwood Mack's posted a statement Wednesday celebrating Joe Mack as "one of a kind."
