Italians and Mob Memories of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
Text © Robert
Barry Francos / FFanzeen, 2021
Images from
the Internet
If one grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, NY, in the 1960s and 1970s, it did not matter what nationality you were, you knew someone who was associated with the Italian mob directly or indirectly, and it was like a spinal form that hovered over the neighborhood, being the nerve center that permeated the very air.
The neighborhood joke was that the mob kept the locality
safe, and they only killed each other, so that made the area pretty safe. Without
glorifying it in any way, there was a certain level of truth to that. Crime such
as burglaries or street robberies were exceedingly low at that period.
The part of Bensonhurst I grew up in was a pretty even mix of Italian and Jewish, and a smattering of Irish – although the further north you went, the higher the percentage of Italians – and an extremely limited number of Asian and African-American. Of the latter two, I only knew of two families of each. The two Asian families owned the competing Chinese restaurants (no take-out joints at that time, which would come in the 1980s) along 86 Street, between 20 Avenue and Bay Parkway. There were two pizza parlors (Neil’s, on 20 Avenue just north of 86 Street, and Lenny’s, on 86 Street just west of 20 Avenue, the latter of which was made famous in the opening credits for Saturday Night Fever) and two Kosher Delis (Hy Tulip, directly across the street from Lenny’s, and another one on 86 Street, just east of Bay Parkway, which we referred to as “The other side of Bay Parkway”; this is where the opening credits from “Welcome Back Kotter” was shot). The lone Italian restaurant was the Villa Borghese, on the corners of Bath Avenue and 20 Avenue.
Of course, there were other pizza parlors in the
area, such as the Pizza Den on 18 Avenue, between 86 Street and New Utrecht
Avenue, which was in the background in a scene from Steven Segal and Jerry
Orbach’s Out for Justice (1991; my dad took some pix of the filming),
and one on 18 Avenue and 86 Street.
The “American” style restaurants were essentially diners, as The Richelieu on 86 Street, east of 2 Avenue and The New Dyker, next to the Pizza Den. These were all within walking distance of my abode. One of them, however, the Vegas Diner on 86 Street and 16 Avenue (closed in 2017, and is now the Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant), was known to be “connected” to the mob and one of their hangouts, but we always felt safe eating there among the wiseguys.
Being non-Italian, I still had indirect connections. For example, there were two related families in my building whose dads worked regular jobs, but according to my parents, were connected to the mob. I never saw any indication of this other than these families wore some pretty fancy church-going clothes. I did not get along with them thanks to their obnoxious and rude daughters (who were a couple of years younger than me) on both sides.
It was all around. For example, the guy who had a limp and ran the local newspaper concession below the 20 Avenue B Line (changed to the D Line since 2001), had a side business of “taking numbers” for the local mob. What this entailed (or maybe still does) is basically illegal gambling. The bettor would pick a number, and if that number showed up in a specific place in the daily newspaper, you’d win; it’s sort of alike an early, bootleg version of the Lotto. On occasion (i.e., every few months), my dad would give it a try, but I don’t remember him ever winning anything.
My first employer, Alex, from where I delivered
fruit by bicycle from his shop when I was between 13 through 16 years old, sold
cigarettes for the mob, including to my mother. More amusing stories about Alex
the Fruit Man are HERE. On the way to work, there were usually a guy or two sitting outside an
apartment building on 20 Avenue, across from Neil’s Pizza (now called La Bella’s
Pizza). They kept an eye on the area, would be the people to talk to if you has
issues (such as being robbed), and possibly also taking numbers.
While I was an usher at the Marboro Theater on 69 Street and Bay Parkway (since torn down and a CVS Pharmacy in its place), at least three of the ushers either were connected, or related to members. When I was transferred to the Alpine Theater on 69 Street and Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge, again, some of the ushers were connected by family to the Family. As far as I know, there were no external crimes at either theater while I was employed there (I am pretty sure some of the ushers and cashiers did have a thing with ticket swapping, and I know one of the managers definitely did).
When I worked as the typesetter for a Third Avenue Bay
Ridge weekly newspaper called The Weekly (affectionately known to the
workers as “The Eekl,” as the “W” and “Y” were missing from the sign out front)
during the late 1970s, there was someone there whom I will refer to as Mr. M (as
I don’t remember his name) who proudly claimed to be part of the Omerta. I was
wondering why someone with those connections would be working for a small,
community newspaper. I also didn’t question it, but we got along congenially.
When a co-worker got mad at me when I insisted that Brian from Monty Python’s
Life of Brian (1979) was not Jesus as the character of Jesus appears in the
film, he threatened to take me outside. Mr. M asked me if he wanted me to “take
care of him.” I said no for a few reasons, such as I knew it would blow over
and it did, and second, I did not want to be owing Mr. M a favor. One time, Mr.
M invited me over for dinner to meet his wife and toddler child. I accepted the
invite, but was unnerved by the loaded handgun on the nightstand. I thought to
myself, “Really? With a small child running around?” I never mentioned it to
him, never went back, and lost touch after I left the job shortly after that
(but not because of that incident; I got a better job as a typesetter for First
Boston, a major corporation located in the World Trade Center; now neither the
occupation, the company, nor the WTC exists).
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81 Street and 18 Avenue |
I only know of two “hits” that occurred in the area
around me, one being in front of a dry cleaner on Bath Avenue (technically,
that’s the neighborhood of Bath Beach, but often it was combined with Bensonhurst),
and the other some smart ass goombah shot by the front entrance of his
apartment on 81 Street, just off 18 Avenue (across from Milestone Park, about two
avenue blocks away from me) by his girlfriend’s father from Staten Island. I
saw the blood stains on the street of the latter when I passed it the next day.
Through all these encounters, I never once felt personally threatened by the presence of the mob, though many of the bullies I have encountered in my life were the Tony Manero types who had connected family and had the cocky “do you know who my dad/uncle is?” attitude and ego.
All that being said, if you grew up in my
neighborhood at the time I matured…well, aged into adulthood, there was a
little bit of Italiano that crept into your life, your personality, and
very being. I have been told that when I read Spanish aloud, I do it with an
Italian accent.
True digression story: I was visiting my Aunt Elsie
and Uncle Al in Lauderhill, FL, in the early 1980s. Elsie asked me to go to the
strip mall across from her condo and order a large pie from a shop called “New
York Pizza.” I went in and ordered it. The guy behind the counter took out the
pie dough that’s 12 inches across. I said, “No, a large pizza,” as a
large in Bensonhurst is 18 inches. He responded, “This is a large pizza,”
in an accent familiar to me. So, I replied, “No, cougino, not molto
poco, I want molto grosso, capisce? Then he said something to me in
Italian, to which I responded, quite truthfully as I only know a few phrases, “Non
capisce Italiano.” He squinted his eyes and said, “Where ya from?” I said, “20th
and 81st.” No avenue, no street, just the numbers. He smiled and said, “I’m
from 78th and 18th,” just a few blocks away. While we talked about the neighborhood,
he took two 12-inch pies and melded them together so it took the shape of a
race track, and made that into my pie. He broke two boxes so it would fit, and
taped it up, charging me for one. That piasan was a mensch.
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Once was Alex's Fruit Stand |
Over time, the neighborhood changed. Many locals thought
it was a bad thing, but I believe it was for the better. As my generation moved
out to the suburbs or Staten Island, it created a void that was filled by
especially Russians and Chinese, but there is also Mexicans, Polish, Kosovo
Albanians, and so many others. Ethnic shops and restaurants now abound. As the storefront
of American and International Foods, where Alex’s fruit shop once sat, states, “Foods
from Israel, Turkey, Italia, Spain, Bulgaria, Egypt, Russia & Europe.”
Diversity is good. Whether the mob still has influence on the area, I have no
idea. Perhaps they either share the space or have been replaced by the Tong and
Russian mobs, I could not tell you as I have not lived there for a while.
Neil's was awesome
ReplyDelete20&82
ReplyDeleteHey, neighbor!
DeleteKnew the area, born and raised there. Never see it again in this lifetime my friend.
ReplyDeleteBest neighborhood ever those were the days
ReplyDeleteSo true! Best years of my life living in the Chelsea apartments 25th ave between bath & benson ! 86th street will never be the same 🥲
DeleteGrew up in the early ‘50s at 21st and 84th. Then Lafayette HS. When I was 13 or so , had a shakedown in Bensonhurst Park by now infamous and dead, “little Jimmy Emma”, a teen age mobster on his way up. Shot
Deletedead by the Columbia gang at age 25. Jimmy Emma was a very scary violent kid
Bay 29th and Benson. Best place to grow up.
ReplyDeleteTaught at Lafayette High School the 60’s plus. Blessed with talented students and
ReplyDeletewonderful colleagues. Loved walking and shopping on 86th St.
Spumoni Garden a favorite
Thank you for this post. Born on 85th Street and moved out of NY in 1979. My memories will never leave me. I forget a lot about other places I've lived, but my memories of Bensonhurst are so vivid, they will take me to my grave.
ReplyDeleteI was born down the block from Neil's and grew across from Lenny's, at 25 Bay 23rd. Sad to hear Lenny's close. Loved the pizza at both (I was partial to Neil's). So many great memories growing up in the neighborhood. Sad to see it changed now. Want to take my kids and show them where I grew up.
ReplyDeleteI lived there 73 it was a gorgeous neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteGrew up in Bensonhurst ( bath avenue) was one of the best neighborhoods. Also Lived in dyker and Gravesend. Also pretty great. But I'll always be a bath avenue in my heart forever. I don't even recognize the neighborhood as now I live in bayridge. I don't even know where to go.because besides all the different great restaurants etc. I try not to go out in day. U get run over by carts motorbikes n this is in the sidewalk .I miss the days growing up in Bensonhurst. I'm a grandmother. Now. N as sad as it sounds would leave brooklyn if given the chance. But will always be a brooklyn girl.
ReplyDeleteWent there and fell in love with the neighborhood, but did get threaten by old mobsters (i’m assuming) to stop taking pictures. this was back in 2018
ReplyDeleteThis so speaks to my experiences growing up in Bensonhurst in the 60s and 70s. My neighbor got gunned down in front of my house in 1974. Total mob hit. Neighbor was a lieutenant in the Gambino family.
ReplyDeleteFun times. Didn’t need to watch the Sopranos. Just hung out on the street to see and know what was going on. Where’s the pizza place in Lauderhill?
86th Street near Bay Parkway, was once a beautiful, place to be. I didn't live there but I was only a short bus ride away. You never had to fear walking that strip or cruising in a car. Then something change. I won't say it, but most of us know the reason. My heart breaks every time I go there. The smells on that strip are un describeable. It is like a sewer meeting an outhouse. The strip is filthy and has all kinds of garbage sold on the streets. You can't even get through the sidewalk. Even saying "Excuse me" because the words are understood. I miss the old Bensonhurt. It will never be the same.
ReplyDeleteI saw Star Wars at Marboro when it opened, I was 7. lived on 73rd between 20th & 21st. ❤️
ReplyDeleteLived on Bay 23rd st right down the block from Lenny's Pizza shame it's not there anymore
ReplyDeleteAnyone remembers herbies candie store 17 and Bath, Herbie and mrs herbie
ReplyDelete