Italian Corners - Williamsburg - Lorimer St & Metropolitan Ave 

Born 1945 - 864 Metropolitan Avenue - my dad was still in the Pacific. Attended St. Nicholas on Olive Street. Aunts, Uncles and cousins lived on Graham Ave. It was great - wonderful memories.Thanks for the video.

I was born and raised in Greenpoint/Williamsburg. My fathers father moved here from Sicily and my Mothers family from Naples. It was such a Nostalgic Hit watching this video and seeing Napoli Bakery, San Marco Pizza, and that neighborhood. I moved to South Brooklyn in 2006 and only visit on occasion. I remember when Galleria was a pastry shop and then later even did wood fired pizza which was amazing. Its sad when I visit there now cos I feel like an outsider to a neighborhood I spent my childhood and part of my adult life. I worked for a deli/butcher when I was in my teens and early 20's and I did deliveries to all spots in that neighborhood. Businesses like Napoli Bakery, the industrial parts of Greenpoint, and houses of the people who lived in the community. I miss those days.

Always felt that the Italian area of Williamsburg would last forever. I always felt safe. There were Hispanics, Jews, Poles and other Eastern Europeans and we somehow all lived together and maintained our ethnic identities while striving to be "Americans". How things have changed, but the memories will last forever.

Born in 1947 and lived at 23 Ricardson St Greenpoint just a block away from McCarren Park a couple of Blocks from Williamsburg. Great Memories!

My wife was born in Williamsburg 73 years ago. Live in NJ along time but her heart is in Brooklyn.

Love the idea of fixing the old buildings for affordable housing for existing residents. Very smart choice. This should be done in all cities.

I know the first gentleman being interviewed in this video. I lived in the same apartment house at 149 Ainslie Street when I was a kid! I lived on the second floor and Mr. Manzolillo lived on the first floor. I knew/know his son Sal. Mr. Manzolillo recently retired and sold his San Marco Pizzeria that was a neighborhood staple for many years. After years in show business now in my semi retirement I work directly across the street from The Giglio Boys as a bouncer in a gay bar. Yes indeed the neighborhood sure has changed!

I miss the old Williamsburg too :( now there’s just too many bars around the area and the rent is so expensive.

The apartment i grew up in was 299 Manhattan Ave and went to P.S. 132 right across the street. My family would bring pastries and cookies from Fortunato's When they came for the Holidays or just an in the neighborhood visit. I moved to Florida when i turned 22, and since then i have constant dreams about roaming the old neighborhood. Even have dreams of walking the halls of 132 again. I miss Home so much. I dont care what changes, what Buildings go up, what hipster moves in. That will always be my home. It sucks having those dreams of home and waking up in another state not being able to rush back there. Lucky if you can find decent Pizza here. Or anything Decent Italian. I'll be back home for Good one day.

My Grandparents and Mother were from here, I fondly remember spending summers with my Grandparents here. I really miss the old neighborhood !!

I moved to Williamsburg from Greenpoint in 1982 lol a stones throw away married Pete Zukie my mother in law was Chicky she worked in Rex Deli on the corner of Metro .I lived at 552 Metropolitan Avenue it was so easy to go to the grocery store which is right across the street if you needed some fresh veggies and if you wanted that cappuccino you went around the corner or over to the Galleria it was so family oriented so perfect living in Williamsburg everything was convenient and everyone knew each other you didn't have to be fearful walking up and down the block with your children because everyone knew everyone people would be sitting out on the Stoops at night everyone said hello I wish that my children could experience what we had years ago in their lifetime they just don't understand how perfect and family-oriented everything was.I loved on a Saturday and Sunday morning you would wake up and you would smell mozzarella cheese being smoked or the fresh smell the bagels being baked or from Tina's bakery the smell of her bread being baked.I have long moved away first to Pennsylvania and now I'm in Arizona and never have I met people like I have met in my hometown all you had to do was say hey put the coffee on I'm coming over it never mattered what time it was I still miss that and so wish that I could have the people that I had back home where I'm living now my heart will always be in my home town.

Miss the old neighborhood. I grew up on Lorimer between Conslyea and skillman

i still live on Devoe st across from the library 48 years here since i came from Naples Italy on the Michelangelo

I grew up in Williamsburg for a time. All of my family lived within the neighborhood and I remember going to San Marco for pizza and the bagel place that's on the corner currently. I remember it was a video rental store. And let's not forget rosalis bakery, and San Cono restaurant. Great memories

Beautiful video Gentleman. I’m a first generation Albanian American from The Bronx and along side many Albanians living in Morris Park, Throggs Neck etc there are still areas of very large stronghold of Italians to this day. We are very similar cultures. I’ll say I don’t venture to Williamsburg often but one particular shop I do go to once a year maybe I believe Fortunato’s? On Manhattan Ave 🤔. Great bakery with a strong Italian presence and am greeted like family every time I go there by all and are only somewhat familiar faces but a big hug and kiss always. They may think I’m Italian and do speak enough to get by but feels like a family in there and I never forget those gestures ❤️🙏. I go as often as I can get to that area. Good stuff and God Bless! ❤️🙏🙏👍💪

When I was born my parents lived on Lorimer St thanks for the video I have not been there in a while.

I grew up in that area went to PS 18 it was great in the fifties. I had many italian nieghbors and they were great people . Italian food is my favorite. Mike are you related to Patrick he may be your uncle. I lived right by the family with the same name. Wow!

Graham Ave was the place to be in the late 70s early 80s had many a good night in the motion lounge

My childhood and teen years (1956-1980) were spent at 680 Metropolitan Ave. I would never want to live any where else. I live in the ground floor apartment with my two sisters and parents. My aunt, uncle, and cousin living above us on the second floor and my grandparents living on the third floor. The neighborhood was safe and everyone in the area knew each other. The local grocery store was Cesar and Patsy, and the local supermarket market was Graziano's. We had the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel every summer with the parade going past my house. I wish I can have all those years back..........🤔

Yeah brings me back, but the people forget that we to grew up here too boriqua's and it was the best and still is, we use to call it "The block" and we all got a long and the best pizzeria's great food great friends till the day, may it stay blessed for the next generation.

fantastic video and The Feast of the Giglio is one of the most awe inspiring street festivals you could ever hope to experience

Back in the day we lived on Grand St. and attended St. Mary's (now gone, I heard). Not far from Lorimer and Metropolitan is (or was?) the old Settlement House where our Boy Scout troop met there on Thursdays and then, later, on Friday evenings. Looking at the video, not too much has changed except for the businesses in the general area.

I speak the same dialect as the old man does in the beginning of this video!... from nj here! 100 % Italian !

I love the giglio fest and Brooklyn and all about it

I miss Williamsburg from back then too raised on union Ave , grand st, south 1st & union Ave. Miss metropolitan area the Italian fiest , Bazaar , McCarren pool 😋 Good ole days

I miss all of it.

I lived on Devoe St. by St Nicks and Woodpoint Rd. across from St. Francis in the 60s. When I was a real little shit in the 50s I lived on Grand St. I delivered groceries for Grazziano's on Graham Ave and when I got older I worked at the 2 isle A & P on Grand St. We got our pastries from Danilo's on Devoe St. and our pizza from any number of good pizza parlors. Everyone in this video and then some lol. I went to P.S. 132 which is in the video and Mom worked at Georges restaurant on Grand St. I had my first clam on the half shell at the Giglio feast in 1965 and when I saw this video I choked up. It will always be my home.

We need to keep old Brooklyn New York Alive

I miss the Subway bar so much!!

This makes me sad. Its just likr Bensonhurst. All the Italian neighborhoods are no longer. I wish my kids couod have experienced how we grew up. We had it all!

my neighbor grew up in williamsburg

missed the south side born and raised there my kids born and raised there my whole family lived there on south third st. park right across the street them was the day's when family was family and everyone knows everyone

miss my neighborhood

My boy jr was coming out the building while he was talking wow my boy jr has grew up on that block metropolitan 248

I miss the Italian fiest. Bazaar Grew up on so.1st. Miss McCarren Park also

Are there any predominantly italian neiborhoods left in New York?

There's always Carroll Gardens. Social clubs and Italian culture still going strong...but potentenally threatened by the same fate as W'burg.

Check out my documentary film "Williamsburg Brooklyn then and now/My Mother and her friends" here on You Tube.

Orgoglioso di essere italiano

my neighborhood

I went to st.nick's til 1974,lived at 182 power st.Use to go to the movie right there,25 cents for a ticket.Ty my friend's dad was Sonny Black & if you don't know who he was... Google him

Sadly, the pizzeria is gone

Io sono italiana e sono fiera di esserlo pero li a volte ci sono dei lavori che qui in italia non esistono che non mangeremmo mai...

Pizzeria is no longer active! Sad 😔... These new hipster pizza owners are not even genuine! Just smoke and mirrors

🇮🇹🥀🥀🥀🥀🇺🇸

hi lived in Brooklyn ny 11219 from kidgrand two high school. my freshman year. we move up state ny . be t w 19&20 ave on 78 st . the guys I gru up with were all stand up guys nick caca ald tommay phi tamma & his two cazin s . ant . cartisalo. on 78 st ya thows were the days the was guy were all over the place . p.s 186 . and sathow jr high. new utr .

that last breed or real new yorkers no those damm hipsters

Here I am not being Italian seeking to watch more of these videos about how the neighborhoods became less Italian

6:15 brah this kid miss a layup I play ball way better then him LMFAOOO 😂😂😂