Later, when Chuck came on board, we would meet at Luigi’s to go over scripts. And that’s when we started to steal the place. Not all at once, but one piece at a time. The first thing we copped was the bandbox, which was followed in short order by the Tiffany-style lamp over the cash register, then the cash register itself, and on and on until we had stolen everything down to the nails in the floor. Even then, we weren’t finished. We soon added the sign and awning out front to my original street view to finally complete the picture. The space above Montoni’s in the strip would be split into an apartment that several of the characters would move through over time and another space that would house Lisa’s law offices and later the Komix Korner. The sidewalk level space next to Montoni’s would at various times be a coffeehouse, a deli, and a Chinese restaurant; but, in the end, only the comics shop and pizzeria would remain, a testament to those long ago guys’ nights out. (On a side note, Luigi’s would one day take on near mythical stature in the real world as well when it became the site of the Lisa’s Story book launch event, and still later when it would host a surprise 40th wedding anniversary bash for Cathy and me. If you’re ever in Akron, Ohio, and you want to visit Montoni’s, all you need do is stop by Luigi’s. Be sure to say hello if you see Cathy and me, Brian and me, or Chuck and me there.)
From The Complete Funky Winkerbean Volume 8
