THE HAMMONTONIAN | APRIL 2022 | P . 27
THE FINAL WORD
Tony Sbarra , 56 , founder of Jersey Boys Jerky and a lifelong Hammontonian , spoke with The Hammontonian earlier this month . He opened up about his life and shared a few “ last ” things ...
What is the last thing you discovered about yourself ? You vs . You . My biggest breakthrough was when I finally realized I was in control of my own destiny . My self-confidence is at its peak . There is nothing I couldn ’ t do if I put my mind to it . I am in control of my actions good , or bad .
Where is your favorite place in Hammonton ? I am very comfortable at Rocco ’ s Town House . I have been friends with Dave and Steve [ Ruberton ] forever . It is just home . You can be yourself in there . It is just a comfortable atmosphere .
Your last guilty pleasure ? Three o ’ clock in the morning at Tony ’ s Baltimore Grill . Eating pizza and pepperoni and cheese trays . I paid for it the next day . It was like I was back in high school . It was so worth it .
When is the last time you played sports ? About three years ago , just baseball . I coached a Little League game . The coaches didn ’ t show up . The team hadn ’ t won a game that season . We won that day . It was their only win of the season .
When is the last ticketed event you went to , as you are known as “ Tony Tickets ?” I just went to see Don Felder of the Eagles . It was phenomenal .
What is your last memory of your sister Barbara ? Barbara Sbarra West died in May 2001 . I saw her in the West End Grill before I went to dinner with friends . The last thing she said to me was , “ Be safe .” She still holds 13 records at Glassboro State , now Rowan University to the best of my knowledge .
If you could only eat one thing for dinner for the rest of your life , what would it be ? Chicken Wings . I get them wherever I go .
What is your last line of advice you would give to high school graduates ? You have to fail to succeed .
What brings you joy ? Making other people happy . It could be a story on my Facebook page that hits home with someone else . It could be a service we provide with our business . One of the biggest things that I love is giving back . Alena ’ s Mix and the Red , White & Chew Mix benefit non-profit groups . We are all blessed to be here . We never know what tomorrow brings .
What is next for Jersey Boys Jerky ? We started out with one product , Jersey Boys Jerky . We have added trail mix , nuts , seeds and candy . We are researching into organic granola and we are testing out dog treats . We are in negotiations with a major distributor that will take us from Maine to Florida .
— Gina Rullo