Chicago checking in. When I made a partner at my firm (Wall Street based trading firm) back in the very early 80's, we went to Mulberry Street a lot. (I ran our Chicago, Philly, and San Fran operations) The Friday night before my official partnership dinner in NYC at Ponte's (now closed) they took me and my wife to Il Cortile on Mulberry. That was in 1981. To this day, I've never had a more fun night in a restaurant in my life. I'd never experienced anything like Mulberry Street. People from different tables were bringing samples of their dishes and wines to our table and we were bringing everyone stuff from ours. We drank, ate, danced, and laughed. It felt like a big family get together. There's nowhere else on the planet like Mulberry Street was back then, nowhere. Over the years we went back to Mulberry St so much the people in our favorite spots knew me by name. It's so sad to see how things have changed over the last 10 to 20 years. NYC is a one of a kind city. Chicago was kind of the same way in our version of Little Italy (Taylor Street) That too has changed exponentially. They've yuppified everything that was great about the neighborhood. It's honestly sickening. With Chicago now being the wild west, I no longer even go into city limits. Born and raided there and worked on the trading floor my entire career. It sucks getting old and watching all these great memories getting wisked away in the name of progress. If things were getting better and were still attractive to visit, that'd be one thing. However, if I see another high end chain store selling vastly overpriced big name luxury items, I'm going to vomit. Thanks for the share man. It brought back so many wonderful memories.
I had been coming to Little Italy with my parents since I was little. (Now 71). I always loved these store 😢. I am so sorry to see you leave that corner. With crime now I won’t travel to NYC anymore which makes me so sad Our favorite restaurant many years ago was Luna’s which has been gone now for awhile. 8:12 Though I can still see MaMa sitting there in her chair peeling garlic. I LOVED the original Little Italy. It was my favorite thing in the world to travel there with my parents. I had been going with husband till life changed. ❤🇮🇹
This is so sad the end of an incredible important era. We're all immigrants from somewhere else. When ernies' dad began to shed his tears my god I could feel his sadness. Everything is about money these days. However the memories of days gone by. Generations after generations is unforgettable. These were good times. Look at their smiles in the young and old eyes. Bless them all. I wish them all the best.
FOND MEMORIES WHEN I WAS 16YEARS OLD I USE TO WORK THERE THE OWNER AND HIS FAMILY TREATED ME LIKE FAMILY TODAY I LIVE IN BORGETTO SICILY AND MY FRIENDS AND I ARE WATCHING THIS VIDEO
Was hoping you’d be there forever. I remember the music always playing from when I was a little girl. E. Rossi - your store made me happy. Will never be forgotten. So sad to see this happening to you. Also, the end of Paolucci’s. Many family dinners were there. Little Italy in our hearts.
Your thumbnail shows Florios restaurant. My good friend Larry owned that building. He had a cigar lounge on the second floor. I spent a lot of time there. He passed away in 2011 from cancer. It was a real gentleman. God rest his soul.
Brendan Amoruso here, Larry's nephew, i absolutely adored him as well, Florio's was a unique gem for many years and I am always elated to find friends and patrons post their memories of it this far down the road. Truly was a wonderful time
What is so sad and also a sin is that they're making all these hard-working store owners to sell out to have all these new selfish greedy Realtors by all these properties for what because I don't see 25 30,000 a month is it possible it's just a sin under God's eyes😢
