Moe is finally getting his Way; Sharon riverwalk finished

Jul. 1—SHARON — Moe is finally getting his Way.

For most, this weekend offers the first glimpse of "Moe's Way" in downtown Sharon next to Quaker Steak & Lube.

The new walkway along the Shenango River honors the late local entrepreneur Gary "Moe" Meszaros, who co-founded The Lube restaurant chain. Meszaros passed away in 2015.

The walkway is among the features at Sunday's The Shenango Riverfront Fireworks Celebration at The Lube and surrounding area.

George "Jig" Warren, The Lube's other co-founder who was a partner with Meszaros for over 40 years, said the pathway is a fitting tribute to his friend. The Lube has been sold and is now owned by JDK Management, Bloomsburg, Pa.

"He was a good promoter," Warren said of his friend and business companion. "We would get ideas and plan them together."

Among the festivities they created was the Bavarian Fun Fest, Small Ships Review, and Bike Night. The Small Ships Review featured an "anything that floats" theme where individuals and businesses created roughly-crafted boats that journeyed in the Shenango River through the downtown — although some didn't make it far before taking on water and sinking.

"We got that idea from the Tall Ships Review in New York City during America's bicentennial," Warren said.

The walkway project cost $248,582, and it was a public-private partnership. The Meszaros Family Charitable Foundation raise funds for the walkway and the city secured a $175,000 state grant through the Greenways Trails and Recreation Program.

Like other construction projects over the past two years, it had a rough start. Set for construction in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic postponed work until earlier this year, Bob Mentrek, president of the Meszaros Foundation said.

The project was a natural fit for the site.

"Gary and Jig spruced up that river property area to showcase the area," Mentrek said.

He noted it was Meszaros who was the driving force behind WaterFire Sharon, a Shenango River and downtown Sharon celebration that is held twice a year.

Mentrek credited JDK for following through with the plan.

"They got behind the project," he said.

John "Chip" Mastrian was a close friend of Meszaros and called him the best entrepreneur he ever knew.

"He was all about creating fun for others — and he did," Mastrian said.

Sharon City Manager Bob Fiscus said Meszaros and Karen Winner, who continues as CEO of Winner International, helped create WaterFire Sharon.

"They believed in downtown Sharon, that it was a place to host city and valley-wide events and because of that, we know that the downtown is ready to host new events and more of them," Fiscus said.

Under the master plan, Moe's Walkway will follow the river downstream to Budd Street and then upstream to the Silver Street Bridge. From there, plans are to connect it to bike trails going north and south.

"We've started to prepare funding for that project," Mentrek said.