In 1917, Pietro DiNovo had a truck another man wanted to buy. The deal was made and this Italian immigrant found he enjoyed the art of selling something to someone else.

And from that private truck sale between DiNovo and a now long forgotten Mingo Junction, Ohio resident a family owned automobile business was born that soon moved to Steubenville, Ohio and expanded into Weirton, West Virginia.

Some 90 years later, the Pietro DiNovo Chrysler/Dodge dealership is still alive and well with Michael Berarducci, nephew of Michael DiNovo continuing the family’s long tradition of service and quality.

Pietro DiNovo had big dreams for his small Mingo Junction business. The first vehicles sold by DiNovo’s were Little Giant trucks, manufactured by a well–known Chicago tool company. His desire to sell Mack trucks required that the business move to Steubenville in 1923 since it was required that Mack truck dealers be located in a city.

Those first days in Steubenville revolved around the Little Giant trucks, Mack trucks for the larger truck owner and the addition of cars—the Stevens cars. In addition to these, DiNovo’s went through about 21 different franchises until 1932 but most of these car manufacturers went out of business, including Stutz, Auburn, Cords, Moon, Diana and Peerless cars.

It was in the midst of the Great Depression when the DiNovo's, now including father, Pietro and sons, Michael and Joe, were approached by a representative from the Dodge brothers in Detroit. Dodge’s dealership on Fourth Street had gone out of business and the company was eager to set up another in the area. The agreement has proven a success for both sides and DiNovo’s is now one of the oldest Dodge dealerships in the country and is ranked in the top 4% in customer satisfaction and customer retention.

The family era of the business was also taking shape with Pietro in charge of sales, Joe handling the business matters and Michael in charge of the service department.

The business also showed some ingenuity during the World War II when they couldn’t get new trucks from the Detroit factories. Instead of having their customers wait for new trucks to be delivered, DiNovo’s built the trucks in their service department using Dodge parts purchased from a variety of sources.

With business expanding and the manufacturer’s policy of protected territories, DiNovo’s opened a second location in Weirton, West Virginia in the 1930’s. The Main Street location, however, closed in the early ‘70s in an effort to streamline the operations.

After the death of brother Joe in 1942 from a strep throat infection, and father Pietro in 1952, Michael DiNovo was left with the dealership on his own until his death in 1997. His sister, Mrs. Francis Antonina Berarducci's only son, Michael Berarducci, now heads the family business as it heads into the next century. Michael began his career at DiNovo's as a parts chaser in 1965.

Prices have changed at DiNovo’s over the years but the service to customers has remained the same. Michael Berarducci maintains his desk on the showroom floor so the customers can see him and he can talk to them. The rich history and tradition is evident at DiNovo’s from the antique cars on display to the numerous old photographs that adorn the walls.

From 1917 in Mingo Junction when Pietro DiNovo had a truck to sell, the DiNovo family has watched the automobile industry grow from dozens of manufacturers to the Big Three.

And in their own small way, from father to sons and sons to nephew, the family has participated in what was just a dream for a few tinkerers and mechanics just a few decades ago.

(Edited from an article that appeared in a June 21, 1990 Weirton Daily Times supplement by Dave Gossett)