Thanks to a Thanksgiving visit from WQED's Rick Sebak, PBS viewers across the nation will learn what McKeesporters have known for nearly a century about Minerva Bakery. As hundreds of hungry shoppers stopped in the modest Fifth Avenue bakery to grab pumpkin pies, cheesecakes, tortes and fresh bread for their holiday tables — not to mention a few sweet morsels to tide them over during their travels — they shared Minerva memories with Sebak. Filming clips for “Some Really Great Bakeries,� a special that will air on PBS channels across the United States in the summer, Sebak and a small camera crew spied on the Minerva staff as they folded dough and decorated cakes and talked with customers who had stories behind every choice they made. “I love everything here,� said Krissy Kochis of North Versailles, carrying three bags of goodies for her family's Thanksgiving feast. “You just don't find places like this anymore.� Minerva Bakery is one of the region's remaining old-time bakeries, where walking through the door is like stepping into a time machine. Favorite childhood treats, ethnics breads and cookies and special-occasion cakes line the glass display cases, inviting customers in for a closer look. “When you grow up coming into a business like this, you take part in the business just like you see your parents taking part in the business,� Kochis said. “When that kind of tradition is passed down, this is the result.� Traveling to bakeries in New England and the Midwest, Sebak has heard stories about a variety of favorites, but none have been as eager to have him sample what they're talking about as the Minerva staff. “One of the biggest realizations for me has been how hard these people work and how proud they are of the products,� he said. “People just don't realize how much work goes into keeping a place like this running.� Sebak said he enjoyed spending the holiday rush with members of the Monezis family, who have been selling baked goods in McKeesport for 91 years. Kathi Monezis Harvey, Minerva's third-generation owner, said her grandparents Angela and George Monezis Sr. would be proud to know the business is being recognized as a regional favorite. “We have this business today because of them,� Harvey said. “We have them to thank for everything. We put a lot of hard work into the bakery today, but it wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my grandparents.� Minerva Bakery started with just one mixer and one oven in a shop along Walnut Street in 1923. George Monezis Sr. learned his trade in Europe, studying under the finest French pastry chefs of that era. He worked in New York and Pittsburgh hotels as a master pastry chef. George Monezis Jr. developed a taste for the family business at 13, when he began scrubbing pans and wrapping cookies. As a young adult, he took baking courses on Pittsburgh's South Side and participated in master baking conventions. George Monezis Jr. and his wife Irene passed the business on to their children, Mark Monezis and Harvey, and Minerva Bakery continues to grow as clientele from across the Pittsburgh region stop in because they have friends who are loyal customers. Sebak became a Minerva fan after sampling treats left around the station. “I've been eating Minerva baked goods for as long as I've worked at WQED,� he said, crediting engineer Mike Laver of Elizabeth for introducing him. “If you've ever worked on a set with Mike, you know he always brings a box of goodies from Minerva.� While Sebak has popped into Minerva Bakery from time to time between other assignments, he said this week's shoot shed light on traditions that revolve around outgoing personalities and edible gifts. “This is exactly the kind of story I like,� he said. “This place isn't that well-known outside of McKeesport and the surrounding area. We can hope, by pointing them out, more people can find out about it.� Jennifer R. Vertullo is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1956, or jvertullo@tribweb.com .