Anyone met a wiseguy?

[johnny_scootch]

What a mean all the Italians are gone? Moved away? Upward mobility type of thing?

All of the above and a lot of the older ones died off. My landlords are both gone and now the daughter lives in the house on 2 floors but rented 2 to couples with children etc. Not nearly as Italian as it was. Esposito's Pork Store on Court St just closed recently after 100+ years. Stuff like that

Too many places like that have been closing recently. Esposito like you said 100+, Alleva Dairy was 130 years old, Delmonicos was almost 200 years old, Patsys restaurant 80 something years old and Forlinis closed last year was 70 something years old. It’s been rough to say the least.

[Tonyd621]

the reality is that its so weird and childish how some of the guys we talk about on here that supposedly have all this power with genovese and gambino will give yyou nasty looks well into their 70's even after you've been introduced. ffuck them i don't really care one way or the other but its so bizarre. like if I meet eyes w someone I don't know I either nod my head subtly in a nice way or friendly smile to make them comfortable. a lot of these guys don't even want strangers to be comfortable. tony parkside was a very friendly guy ffor example.

Punchy Illiano glared at me for 2 years before he relaxed when I lived across the street from him. I'd wave and sell "Hi Mr Illiano".. dead silence. not even a head nod. He relaxed eventually and would at least acknowledge my existence

You lived across from Punch Illiano, for how long? I would imagine they would want to try and blend in as much as possible. Not be the old grumpy neighbor that nobody likes

I lived directly across the street for 2 years then I moved a block away for 6 years but saw him every day sometimes multiple times. He was always with his guys on Court Street and various places including his restaurant.The first day I moved in my landlords daughter told me if my girlfriend(then wife, now ex wife ) had any trouble just let "Punchy's boys know." At that point I knew nothing about anything but I definitely got intrigued. He conducted business at this coffee shop called Coo Coos nest. He got comfortable enough in front of me to just be himself eventually. One time I was in Coo Coos nest having lunch and Kid Blast was outside letting people come in to sit with him. The worst thing he ever said that I could hear had to do with jukeboxes and vending machines. Pretty harmless. Sonny Ciccone was around at this time too usually Tuesday nights at Monte's on Carroll St. CG was such a great neighborhood then.. Still is but a lot of the Italians are gone.

What a mean all the Italians are gone? Moved away? Upward mobility type of thing?

All of the above and a lot of the older ones died off. My landlords are both gone and now the daughter lives in the house on 2 floors but rented 2 to couples with children etc. Not nearly as Italian as it was. Esposito's Pork Store on Court St just closed recently after 100+ years. Stuff like that

Dam, closed because of lack of customers?

[SonnyBlackstein]

Covid

[The Greek]

the reality is that its so weird and childish how some of the guys we talk about on here that supposedly have all this power with genovese and gambino will give yyou nasty looks well into their 70's even after you've been introduced. ffuck them i don't really care one way or the other but its so bizarre. like if I meet eyes w someone I don't know I either nod my head subtly in a nice way or friendly smile to make them comfortable. a lot of these guys don't even want strangers to be comfortable. tony parkside was a very friendly guy ffor example.

Punchy Illiano glared at me for 2 years before he relaxed when I lived across the street from him. I'd wave and sell "Hi Mr Illiano".. dead silence. not even a head nod. He relaxed eventually and would at least acknowledge my existence

You lived across from Punch Illiano, for how long? I would imagine they would want to try and blend in as much as possible. Not be the old grumpy neighbor that nobody likes

I lived directly across the street for 2 years then I moved a block away for 6 years but saw him every day sometimes multiple times. He was always with his guys on Court Street and various places including his restaurant.The first day I moved in my landlords daughter told me if my girlfriend(then wife, now ex wife ) had any trouble just let "Punchy's boys know." At that point I knew nothing about anything but I definitely got intrigued. He conducted business at this coffee shop called Coo Coos nest. He got comfortable enough in front of me to just be himself eventually. One time I was in Coo Coos nest having lunch and Kid Blast was outside letting people come in to sit with him. The worst thing he ever said that I could hear had to do with jukeboxes and vending machines. Pretty harmless. Sonny Ciccone was around at this time too usually Tuesday nights at Monte's on Carroll St. CG was such a great neighborhood then.. Still is but a lot of the Italians are gone.

What a mean all the Italians are gone? Moved away? Upward mobility type of thing?

All of the above and a lot of the older ones died off. My landlords are both gone and now the daughter lives in the house on 2 floors but rented 2 to couples with children etc. Not nearly as Italian as it was. Esposito's Pork Store on Court St just closed recently after 100+ years. Stuff like that

Dam, closed because of lack of customers?

Def not lack of customers. The owners aid they were ready to retire and younger generation didn't want to take it over. Alleva is a tragedy. That's just pure greed on the owner of the buildings part. I loved their rice balls and mozzarella.

[johnny_scootch]

Def not lack of customers. The owners aid they were ready to retire and younger generation didn't want to take it over. Alleva is a tragedy. That's just pure greed on the owner of the buildings part. I loved their rice balls and mozzarella.

I sent that post and 2 hours later my cousin calls me and says Frost Italian in Williamsburg is closing in a week! I have to get there for one last meal this weekend, I’ve been going there since I was a kid, smh it’s been there since 1959.

And fyi I heard Alleva is opening a place in Jersey somewhere.

[PolackTony]

the reality is that its so weird and childish how some of the guys we talk about on here that supposedly have all this power with genovese and gambino will give yyou nasty looks well into their 70's even after you've been introduced. ffuck them i don't really care one way or the other but its so bizarre. like if I meet eyes w someone I don't know I either nod my head subtly in a nice way or friendly smile to make them comfortable. a lot of these guys don't even want strangers to be comfortable. tony parkside was a very friendly guy ffor example.

Punchy Illiano glared at me for 2 years before he relaxed when I lived across the street from him. I'd wave and sell "Hi Mr Illiano".. dead silence. not even a head nod. He relaxed eventually and would at least acknowledge my existence

You lived across from Punch Illiano, for how long? I would imagine they would want to try and blend in as much as possible. Not be the old grumpy neighbor that nobody likes

I lived directly across the street for 2 years then I moved a block away for 6 years but saw him every day sometimes multiple times. He was always with his guys on Court Street and various places including his restaurant.The first day I moved in my landlords daughter told me if my girlfriend(then wife, now ex wife ) had any trouble just let "Punchy's boys know." At that point I knew nothing about anything but I definitely got intrigued. He conducted business at this coffee shop called Coo Coos nest. He got comfortable enough in front of me to just be himself eventually. One time I was in Coo Coos nest having lunch and Kid Blast was outside letting people come in to sit with him. The worst thing he ever said that I could hear had to do with jukeboxes and vending machines. Pretty harmless. Sonny Ciccone was around at this time too usually Tuesday nights at Monte's on Carroll St. CG was such a great neighborhood then.. Still is but a lot of the Italians are gone.

What a mean all the Italians are gone? Moved away? Upward mobility type of thing?

All of the above and a lot of the older ones died off. My landlords are both gone and now the daughter lives in the house on 2 floors but rented 2 to couples with children etc. Not nearly as Italian as it was. Esposito's Pork Store on Court St just closed recently after 100+ years. Stuff like that

Dam, closed because of lack of customers?

Def not lack of customers. The owners aid they were ready to retire and younger generation didn't want to take it over. Alleva is a tragedy. That's just pure greed on the owner of the buildings part. I loved their rice balls and mozzarella.

It’s a common issue and we’re only going to see more of it in the coming years as the people operating restaurants, bakeries, cafes, etc. age. Their kids typically went to college and are doing other things, so at a certain point if no one is there to take it over, it’s either close or get taken over by Albanians.

[Buster123]

Def not lack of customers. The owners aid they were ready to retire and younger generation didn't want to take it over. Alleva is a tragedy. That's just pure greed on the owner of the buildings part. I loved their rice balls and mozzarella.

I sent that post and 2 hours later my cousin calls me and says Frost Italian in Williamsburg is closing in a week! I have to get there for one last meal this weekend, I’ve been going there since I was a kid, smh it’s been there since 1959.

And fyi I heard Alleva is opening a place in Jersey somewhere.

The owners are old & I heard the Chef has some medical problems, but they’ve been closing for 2 years now. I’ve heard they want to sell the building as real estate unreal there but they can’t build up for whatever reason

[The Greek]

the reality is that its so weird and childish how some of the guys we talk about on here that supposedly have all this power with genovese and gambino will give yyou nasty looks well into their 70's even after you've been introduced. ffuck them i don't really care one way or the other but its so bizarre. like if I meet eyes w someone I don't know I either nod my head subtly in a nice way or friendly smile to make them comfortable. a lot of these guys don't even want strangers to be comfortable. tony parkside was a very friendly guy ffor example.

Punchy Illiano glared at me for 2 years before he relaxed when I lived across the street from him. I'd wave and sell "Hi Mr Illiano".. dead silence. not even a head nod. He relaxed eventually and would at least acknowledge my existence

You lived across from Punch Illiano, for how long? I would imagine they would want to try and blend in as much as possible. Not be the old grumpy neighbor that nobody likes

I lived directly across the street for 2 years then I moved a block away for 6 years but saw him every day sometimes multiple times. He was always with his guys on Court Street and various places including his restaurant.The first day I moved in my landlords daughter told me if my girlfriend(then wife, now ex wife ) had any trouble just let "Punchy's boys know." At that point I knew nothing about anything but I definitely got intrigued. He conducted business at this coffee shop called Coo Coos nest. He got comfortable enough in front of me to just be himself eventually. One time I was in Coo Coos nest having lunch and Kid Blast was outside letting people come in to sit with him. The worst thing he ever said that I could hear had to do with jukeboxes and vending machines. Pretty harmless. Sonny Ciccone was around at this time too usually Tuesday nights at Monte's on Carroll St. CG was such a great neighborhood then.. Still is but a lot of the Italians are gone.

What a mean all the Italians are gone? Moved away? Upward mobility type of thing?

All of the above and a lot of the older ones died off. My landlords are both gone and now the daughter lives in the house on 2 floors but rented 2 to couples with children etc. Not nearly as Italian as it was. Esposito's Pork Store on Court St just closed recently after 100+ years. Stuff like that

Dam, closed because of lack of customers?

Def not lack of customers. The owners aid they were ready to retire and younger generation didn't want to take it over. Alleva is a tragedy. That's just pure greed on the owner of the buildings part. I loved their rice balls and mozzarella.

It’s a common issue and we’re only going to see more of it in the coming years as the people operating restaurants, bakeries, cafes, etc. age. Their kids typically went to college and are doing other things, so at a certain point if no one is there to take it over, it’s either close or get taken over by Albanians.

I recently heard from someone w a business on Arthur Ave that Enzo’s was sold to Albanians. This business has been there for decades so they would know.

[newera_212]

I had no idea the Alleva's people didn't own the building? Over the course of 130 years, with deep ties to the neighborhood going back to the practically near the Dead Rabbits and Bowery Boys days, they never once attempted to buy the building? Tony Danza being a co-owner too, supposedly? Unbelievable.

The tourist trade there couldn't sustain a place like that, and old timers coming in from other areas on a nostalgia kick couldn't either. I always figured they owned the whole building, and that was the reason they didn't close years ago. Sure it's easier said than done, but like I said - they had a few generations to give it a shot. There must be a reason why.

I saw something on NYT's Youtube channel a few years ago about a famous Butcher shop down there , I think it was on Elizabeth ? Been open since the steamship engine days, etc. - but the grandaughter or great grandaughter of the owners took it over. She was doing amazing - kept the same vibe/atmosphere/products for their regular customers, and she introduced more expensive and modern cuts of things for the yuppies - struck a really good balance. That's really the move, but not every family can be so lucky to actually have a young person want to take it on

[Tonyd621]

F*ck these hipsters. I have a finance degree and wanted to do investment banking. Instead I moved back to cold ass connecticut to run my father's construction company. But now we are getting f*cked in the ass by the govt. Hard to get jobs if your not minority, not many experience or Years in trade. So in my mid 30s now might have to start something new. Ahhh f*ck it. Still f*ck hipsters

[The Greek]

I had no idea the Alleva's people didn't own the building? Over the course of 130 years, with deep ties to the neighborhood going back to the practically near the Dead Rabbits and Bowery Boys days, they never once attempted to buy the building? Tony Danza being a co-owner too, supposedly? Unbelievable.

The tourist trade there couldn't sustain a place like that, and old timers coming in from other areas on a nostalgia kick couldn't either. I always figured they owned the whole building, and that was the reason they didn't close years ago. Sure it's easier said than done, but like I said - they had a few generations to give it a shot. There must be a reason why.

I saw something on NYT's Youtube channel a few years ago about a famous Butcher shop down there , I think it was on Elizabeth ? Been open since the steamship engine days, etc. - but the grandaughter or great grandaughter of the owners took it over. She was doing amazing - kept the same vibe/atmosphere/products for their regular customers, and she introduced more expensive and modern cuts of things for the yuppies - struck a really good balance. That's really the move, but not every family can be so lucky to actually have a young person want to take it on

I saw this it was a great story

[antimafia]

^^^^
Here’s the Instagram URL for Albanese Meats & Poultry (@moethebutcher):

https://instagram.com/moethebutcher?igs ... BiNWFlZA==

Shop is run by Jennifer Prezioso (@prezwithaz), a granddaughter of Moe Albanese (who died of COVID-19 very early on in the pandemic).

[cavita]

Yes, a bunch of the Rockford guys over the years.

[Ivan]

It’s a common issue and we’re only going to see more of it in the coming years as the people operating restaurants, bakeries, cafes, etc. age. Their kids typically went to college and are doing other things, so at a certain point if no one is there to take it over, it’s either close or get taken over by Albanians.

Wonder if this will be true of the surviving mob families in like 2050. Maybe old Italians at the very top but actual rackets run by Albanians and others.

By then the process of Italian-American assimilation into the Anglo-American mainstream will be so far along that mob families will look like weird museum pieces (they kind of already do).

[Nicholas]

Fat Bobby Paduano

I've communicated with Joe Isgro on instagram

can you talk about fat Bobby? He’s not someone you hear a lot about.

He's like an old time Wiseguy from New York, except he could not get Made in New York and came out here.

He's definitely charming. Morbidly obese. A bit of a mob historian.

I never asked him about Tony Spilotro or Kenny Gallo.