The History of Isaly’s

The Making of a Family Tradition

The story begins in 1833 when Swiss cheesemaker, Christian Isaly and his family crossed the seas with his family to join other Swiss settlers in the picturesque hills of Monroe County, Ohio. Packed with their belongings was Isaly’s most precious possession: his copper cheese kettle. Generations of Isalys carried on the family trade, expanding from cheese making to dairy farming, and delivering bottled milk from house to house in horse-drawn carts. Eventually they formed Isaly’s Dairy Companies to sell farm-fresh dairy products and a wide variety of fresh deli meats and cheeses through Isaly’s own chain of retail stores in Ohio, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. A tradition was born as families streamed in on warm summer evenings for the now legendary “Skyscraper” cones, butter, cheese, baked ham and bologna and, of course, Isaly’s signature Chipped Chopped Ham and Old Fashioned Ice Cream.
See below for images from Brian Butko’s The Story of Isaly’s: Klondikes, Chipped Ham, & Skyscraper Cones. To learn more about the history of Isaly’s, please visit Brian Butko’s website www.brianbutko.com.
  • Swiss dairy farm scene that hung in Isaly’s stores. Photo Gaylord LaMond.
  • The famous copper cheese kettle was displayed for years at various Isaly’s plants. Photo William R. Isaly.
  • George Krohe at the Homewood Isaly’s, east of Pittsburgh, in 1932. From left: Helen Hartley, Jim Wilson, Krohe, and Sue Phieffer. Photo George Krohe.
  • Painted signs at Marion indicated that the rear buildings were part of the plant. William R. Isaly
  • Pamela Grell believes that this is the first day of the Skyscraper scoop, designed by her father, Sam Jennings. Store supervisor Carl Rafoth is scooping the cones at the Youngstown plant salesroom while Grell’s dad watches (at Rafoth’s right). Photo Pamela Grell.
  • Pittsburgh-branch stores aimed for a modern, uniform look. Here, the Canonsburg Isaly’s store-front shows off trendy art deco lettering. Photo Mrs. Ralph M. McAfee.
 

The Tradition Goes On

In the 1980’s, after the Isaly family retired, the baton was passed to long time provisioners and friends, the Deily family. After much success, the brand changed hands once more in 2015 when Tim Deily sold it to food industry veterans Jim and Leslee Conroy, owners of Conroy Foods, Inc. The Conroys have been in the food business since 1986, building Beano’s Original Deli Condiments from a restaurant in Blawnox, PA of the same name. Tim trusted the Conroy family to carry on the incredible legacy of quality associated with the name Isaly’s–keeping the brand, in essence, “all in the family.” Under the Conroys, Isaly’s deli products have met steady demand in food chains and independent stores all over Southwest Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and beyond by remaining passionately committed to preserving Isaly’s original recipes and quality.  

Today’s Isaly’s Nation

Once a fan, always a fan! Isaly’s Nation exists here in Pittsburgh and around the country. People who’ve moved away from Isaly’s Nation make a point of taking Isaly’s Chipped Chopped Ham back to their new hometowns. Pittsburgh Steeler Clubs around the country have Isaly’s Chipped Chopped Ham shipped in for big games. And people who live where Isaly’s is sold just keep going back for more -not just Isaly’s Original Chipped Chopped Ham and Barbecue Sauce but Old Fashioned Ice Cream. Did you “Remember Isaly’s” when you shopped this week?
  • Martino’s on Vine, a Steeler’s bar in Cincinnati, ready to watch a playoff game complete with some Isaly’s Chipped Chopped Ham and barbecue sauce.

“I Remember Isaly’s”

I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio with fond memories of the big Isaly's Dairy Plant on Mahoning Ave. My Dad's favorite flavor of ice cream was "White House" ~ creamy vanilla ice cream loaded with maraschino cherries ! My family loved 'chipped chopped ham' sandwiches ! I live in Sarasota, FL now and no one at any deli counter knows what that is !! It got its name from how they used to shave and cross cut the ham in a certain way. It's chipped, then chopped. Yum ! Great memories !!

JoAnn Pillifant Sarasota, FL

The unforgettable part of each shopping trip to downtown New Castle, PA with my Mom and my sister Mary Ann, was how each would end: with an Isaly's ice cream soda, or root beer float, or "just" an ice cream cone (oh, chocolate marshmallow, you are so missed!), and of course, mounds of chipped ham to go. Years later, I was lucky enough to get one of the most coveted apartments in Slippery Rock during my senior year there, on Main St. above the hardware store - with Isaly's right next door. Great friends, great apartment, and Isaly's at the bottom of the stairs. It just does not get any better than that!

Jeannette Passaretti Glendale, Arizona

I am originally from Titusville, PA . However, I have lived outside Augusta, Georgia for the past 25 years. While we were visiting family in Titusville this summer my wife discovered a jar of the barbecue sauce in a grocery store. I couldn’t believe it because after all of these years I thought Isaly’s had completely gone out of business. There used to be an Isaly’s store in Titusville until it closed probably 45 years ago. I absolutely LOVED eating the barbecue sandwiches until the store closed its doors forever so many years ago. The ladies that worked there knew just how much I loved them because I normally would eat 3 of them every time I visited the store. Anyway, after I ordered my third sandwich one day one of the counter ladies handed me a folded piece of paper and told me to give it to my mother. She said as much as I love the barbecue sandwiches she wanted my mother to have the recipe. Ever since that day so many years ago, I still eat barbecue sandwiches using the original recipe the lady gave me. As a matter of fact, my wife just finished making a batch (2 lbs of meat) for tomorrow’s lunch. By the way, I still eat 3 of them!!

Lee Irwin

Oh my gosh. My dad who is 77 and born and raised in Pittsburgh just made some ham barbecue the other night. I hadn’t cooked and he offered some to take home. Boy does that bring back many memories. We, a family of 10, grew up on chipped ham and to this day I buy it and love it. I like to make hot ham and cheese sandwiches with it. We would go to the Boulevard of the Allies and get our ham and “skyscraper cones.” What a day. I have passed the tradition on to my children with hopes they will do the same.

Christin Gamble

I was an Isaly Blue Ribbon Baby when I was 2 years old and living in Marion OH. I have a newspaper clipping with my photo in it and have attached a copy of the letter to my parents. I was recently in Marion and looked for the original Isaly’s on Center Street, but couldn’t find it. I have fond memories of going to Isaly’s for ice cream.

Cindy Burdge Aloise

I grew up in Kittanning, PA, a little town upriver from Pittsburgh. My parents had a furniture store and just around the block was an Isaly's. It was definitely the favorite place to go. Like everyone else, we loved the chipped ham and a chipped ham sandwich was my very favorite after school snack. My memory is drawn especially, though, to the selection of ice creams and the tall skyscraper cones. They were terrific and you could not find anything like them anywhere else. In 1960 we moved to Florida and after I married, my wife and I moved to Utah. But my roots are always in western Pennsylvania and among my treasured memories is Islay's. At the end of this month, my wife and I will be visiting Pittsburgh and Kittanning with my adult son. How I wish I could take them to an Isaly's!

Gary McKean Lawton, Utah

Every Friday my mother ordered breaded haddock from the Irwin Isaly's which was owned and operated by Art Lewis. It was the best tasting breaded fish we have ever eaten and to this day I can still remember the delicious taste.

DARLENE HURTIG Cockeysville, Md

I remember growing up as a kid..my grandparents lived in Charleroi, Pa. There was an Isaly”s store in downtown Charleroi that my grandmother would take me to for Ice cream. It was a special time shared with her. We would bring chipped ham home to make sandwiches, it was the best chipped ham ever. I have not found any that compares. Thanks for the fond childhood memories!

Joy King

I can remember going to Isaly’s when I was a young girl. We would get Ice Cream and my favorite chipped chopped ham. I loved it. I haven’t been able to find chipped chopped ham as good anywhere else.

Theresa Sestito

When I lived in Turtle Creek, I went to the Isaly's every Saturday one summer with my best friend. We'd go thrift shopping at one of the local churches then get a ice cream and a Jones.

Rikki White Monroeville PA

Share your Own Isaly’s Memory