Nick's Pizzeria

[Lillian]

I see someone's heard of Nicks Pizzeria . Did anyone hang out in South Paterson in the 60's and 70's? or know anyone that did?and have they heard of Piccolo's Pizzeria? and any of the people who went there?I have been searching for so long. I have read jp68 knew Billy and Joe Marmo, I grew up with them , untill High School and then we lost touch. I am really interested about Piccolo's Pizzeria it was on Main St , S. Paterson in the 60's and 70's. some names: Dave Frech, Denny Iozzio, I would be grateful for any information. Thanks

TEXT

[JP68]

Lillian I think everyone remembers Piccolos pizzeria
The names you mentioned I dont know but just about everyone hung out on Montclair Ave
there were alot of good families down there
The Fierros The Marmos, Tommy McNeil the Cholawin(sp)
thge Hayeks and Abouyans and the Zeloffs
did you know anyone of these.

[Lillian]

I know Bobby and Billy and Joe Marmo we use to play , when we were little, I knew 2 sister last name Hayek,But that was at school #9. None of them went to Piccolo's when I went 1963 to 1973. Piccolo's was on Main St south Paterson, across the street from it was a little island in the middle of the road with one park bench and one big tree in it we all use to call it "the park".Dave Frech, went to Don Bosco's I think. He went to Veitnam, when he came out he joined the Paterson Police. I have tried so many ways to find him you would think it would be easier to find him. Maybe some day someone will know someone who knew him and some of the other people I knew from there.

[James Bouse]

I live in Belvidere NJ now but I was born in St. Joseph's hospital and raised in South Paterson. Atlantic street... Elk street... George street... Dakota ave... Gould ave... Goshen street... I went to school 9 when Mrs. Foley was the principal. Nicks pizzaria!!!! Yeah... Alot of history there. My Mother and Father had their wedding reception there in 1945. It was the first place I went to eat when I came home on leave from Boot Camp in 1972. My mother was the president of American Legion post 360 named after Bernard Armitage. He went down on the USS Juneau with the "Sullivans" His mother lived on Pacific street and every Memorial day she laid a wreath in the park on the corner of Main and Gould. There used to be a Boy's Club across the street. I think it's a Mosque or something now.

[Lillian]

To James Bouse
I lived on Getty Ave right next to School 9. I went there when Miss Foley was there. Do you know the Vogel twins Freddie and Ronnie? (they lived on Elk Street)Also did you ever go to Piccolo's Pizzeria? Did you know Dave Frech, Denny Iozzio? We all use to hang out there. Dave went to Veitnam, when he got out he joined the Paterson Police dept. I have tried to find them but no luck. The Park you menioned was it that sort of island in the middle of Main street it had a couple seats and maybe 2 trees we use to sit there alot as kids.
Well bye for now hope to hear from you.

[James Bouse]

Hi Lillian,

Yeah... I remember Piccolo's pizzeria. I used to talk to Ralph all the time. He had that huge poster of of his nephew Brian Piccolo on the wall (James Caan played him in the movie 'Brians Song') I was practically raised in the Gin Mill across the street called "Kearneys". My mother and father celebrated our Irish heritage all over South Paterson... The R&R and Blakley's taverns were favorite haunts for them too! It was a real bonanza when my cousin Bobby Rogers opened a bar on the corner of Main and Madison back in... 1966? 67?.
You were in the neighborhood in 1963? Jeezus... I remember the day Kennedy was shot. I was in Mrs. Schwartz class (school 9) and Mr. Padalino came to the door and whispered something to her. She freaked out! Started yelling "Oh my God! Oh my God! Everybody out... Get out... GO HOME!!!!" I was eight years old but even my simple mind grasped that something really bad just happened. It seems that for 3 days all people did was cry... And Drink... And Cry and drink some more. Hell, I guess any reason was a good reason.
That little park I mentioned was right next to Nick's Pizzeria. Yup... Just a couple benches and 2.... Maybe 3 trees. There was also some kind of memorial stone there. Like so many things, It's gone now.
Vogel sounds familiar. I used to live on Elk street. My oldest sister was married from that house back in '62. There was a kid who lived on the corner of Elk and Getty named 'Bloch". I met him about 2 years ago. He gave the Eulogy at my uncle's funeral in Saint Agnes church. He's a Priest now.
Do you remember Tony Anzaldo getting cut in half by a train by the Atlantic Street overpass? We played on those things all the time.
You lived on Getty ave? Did you know the Pritchards? Mary was a good friend of my sister Mickey.
OH YEAH!!! I just remembered!!!! Do you recall that candy store on the corner of Getty and Gould that was run by this really old and scary lady. When you bought say, 10 pieces of penny candy, instead of just grabbing a handful from the case, she would take them one at a time and put them on the counter like they were unstable and would blow up any second? She did this VERRRRRRRRRY SLOWWWWWWWLY. She personified the W.C. Fields addage "Get away from me kid, you bother me"
Well, I'll close for now. Write back! It's very unusual to find someone from the old neighborhood. My wife has driven through there many times with me giving her the tour. She doesn't get it. Growing up in a place like that stays with you. What does she know... She's from Maine.

Jim Bouse
([e-mail])

[Lillian]

Hi Jim,
Yes I used to hang at Piccolo's all the time as a kid. You are about 4 years younger than me. Brain Piccolo came to Ralph's place once with some of his mates of the football team.
You mentioned Mrs Schwartz do you believe I had her for my 2 grade teacher when she was called Miss Carlen.
Do you remember the Kayo brothers one was a teacher and the other was a gym teacher? I did not like either of them and thats putting it mildly. I loved Mr Padalino, he taught History when I went there.I was outside taking gym when Kennedy was shot Mr Kayo shouted out the window to his brother that the President was shot and put his finger to his head like a gun, thats how I remember hearing about Kennedy being killed.
Yes I know the Pritchards , I especially remember Bobby,
when we were younger we use to pal around with Marilyn Potito and Dennis Hall.Mary I think was the sister of my sister 's neighbor.
I do recall the name Tony Anzalado.
And yes I know that old lady that had that candy store I always felt like one of the Goolies,going in her store it was so creepy.(ha ha).Ihave run out of space.from Lillian

[Bernard]

I didn't get to S.Pat too often but did belong to the Boy's Club for a short time. This was by a small park like Lil and James describe. There was a pita bread place across Main.

I also went to a few of St. Georges dances with Buttons, Bob Sidney, Bobby Casbarro and met Bobby and Randy Prichard there. Randy later moved to Brook Sloat projects ( my early home) in Paterson. I heard Bobby passed away. I also remember Eileen Urdman (sic?) from S. Pat. She married Bruce Casbarro.

Piccolo's was great pizza. They also had a shop on Union Ave. in Paterson.

[jamesbouse]

Howdy Lillian!
you must have went to school with at least one of my sisters. Joanne, Peggy or Mary Bouse. You might remember Peggy from School 9 days. One day she wore some eye shadow to Mrs. Holterhoff's class and she told her to take it off. Peggy said if her mother didn't care, neither should she. Mrs. "H" took a kleenex, wet it with her lip and tried to wipe it off. Peggy slugged her. Mrs. Foley had a caniption fit and expelled her. Problem for me was I had her for my teacher something like 3 or 4 years later. First day of class, she asked me if I had a sister named Marguerite... It was a long school year.
Mary Pritchard died a couple years ago. Nice lady. Always a smile. Do you know any of the Henderson's from South Paterson?
Hi Bernard, I belonged to that Boy's Club too for quite a few years. We had a blast. There was a candy store across the street from that park in my day. (It was the Pre-Pita and Falafel South Paterson) When I went to St. George's school, we used to sneak over to that Funeral Home next door and try to look in the basement windows to see the dead bodies. Never did see one. I remember this one time me and my friend Donald were walking along the Railroad tracks from George Street toward Crooks ave. There was this junk yard just sitting there... So Me and Donald started throwing these fist sized rocks at the mangled cars and cheered everytime we busted a windshield. It was great fun... Until a cop car pulls up and the officer starts screaming at us... "HEY!!! GET THE HELL OVER HERE!!! WHAT ARE YOUSE DOING?" I told him we were just tossin rocks at a junk yard... "THAT'S NOT A JUNK YARD YOU IDIOT!!! IT'S A BODY SHOP!!!... GET IN THE DAMNED CAR...." There's an old saying that I just made up... "I didn't know it was a grenade until I pulled the pin".
Well folks... Write soon... Jim

[Lillian]

Hi,
You mentioned the pitta bread there was a little bakery on MaIn street , you would not notice it easily, it was sort of a side entrance , my friend's grandparents owned it and baked them, I loved the ones with seame seeds on them. My friends name was Debbie Baroady(I don't know if I spelled it right) Her parents had a Grocery store on Main St, she lived on George St. they had a built in swimming pool which none of us had. When it was hot , do you remember when they put the showers on the fire hydrants, on George St? Her parents also later on built a mini Super market on Main St.
Hope to hear from uou all soon, from Lillian

[Lillian]

Jim,
you mentioned the Hendersons, I knew a Jojo Henderson and I think she had a sister too.Was the street that was on the side of Piccolo's Robert St? There was also Eddie and Micheal Marion, and Gloria Fawcett,I don't know if I spelt right.
I think I remember that incident with the makeup, that happened with your sister. We could not wear our skirts short either we use to roll them up and pull them down longer quite often.Another name I am remembering at school Micheal and George McQueen maybe your sisters will remember them. Was the Kayo brothers teaching there when you were there? I was shocked to see a picture of School 9 and it was a new building, and that the old one burnt down.
Well I will close for now hope to hear from you soon.
from Lillian

[jamesbouse]

Hi Lillian!
JoJo was my first cousin. Her sister's name was Jeanne. (Has a brother Tommy also) I was suprised when I saw the "New" School 9 too. It used to be called Abraham Lincoln School No. 9. Now it's called Charles Riley No. 9. I have no idea who this Charles Riley is or how he rated the bumping of Ol' Abe from the title but if it had anything to do with politics... I would NOT be suprised! Did you know that this is not the first time that school 9 burned to the ground? It was originally built in 1879 and burned up in 1913. The one we went to was a rebuilt version of the original. To burn down twice in the same century is... Strange.
I remember a teacher we called Mr. Kayle. The way we murdered the English language back then... Yeah, It probably was "Kayo". (you should have heard the way my Mother pronounced "Nassau")
Paterson has a history that was news to me. I knew the usual lore about Alexander Hamilton... Lou Costello... John Holland... But the turn of the last century beats them all! I can almost hear the conversation between the Gods when they said..." Ok, Here's what we're going to do to those Paterson folks... In February 1902 we are going to set upon this town a gale force wind, 65 miles per hour ought to do. Then we are going to spark a fire off in some old trolley cars... Don't worry, they will never figure out it was us. In the near future no one will even remember it. Our gale wind will blow this fire in a south easterly direction taking out everything in it's path. Downtown will cease to exist. Yes!!! From 1 mile east of the Colt factory to 1 mile north of St. Joseph's hospital... GONE!!! Wait... Wait... we're not done yet! Let's give them about a month to start recovering from this terrible shock and.... And... I KNOW!!!!! We'll raise the outdoor temperature so high it will melt all the snow and ice... Burst the dam at the falls and flood the area we just burned!!!! Damn! We're good! Wind, fire and water all within three weeks? Time study THAT Zeus!"
My family has lived in Paterson since the 1860s and none of them remembered this? It wasn't even worthy of a mention over a Thanksgiving dinner? Figures.
I will ask my sisters about the McQueens. Before I close, a trivia question... What was the "74 Main"
Write soon!
Jim

[Lillian]

Jim,
What was the"74 Main"? sometimes I think I can remember then it goes out of head.Ask your Sisters if they knew Freddie Williams' Ralph thought alot of him, he use to help out at the Pizza place for Ralph. Freddie was killed in Veitnam. Also if you can if they knew Dave Frech or Denny Iozzio,they all hung out at Piccolo's in the 60's & 70's Ralph still has his place on Union Ave look on the Sapranos website' they show Ralph's pizzia place on Union Ave they filmed scenes there.
Well I will close for now.
from Lillian

[Jim Bouse]

Hi Lillian!!!
The "74 Main" was the city bus that ran from South Paterson to Downtown. I will ask my sisters about Freddie Williams. There were several guys from the neighborhood that went to 'Nam. Do you remember a candy store across the street from "Superior Market" called Al's Sugarbowl? He had a couple of sons... One day I went in there and one of his sons who joined the Navy was there and was wearing his uniform. I was about 11 years old at the time... I freaked out on him... I remember telling him he had the chance to actually fight the enemy and he joins the Navy? The NAVY? "Why didn't you join the Army or Marines you fruit... Afraid of dyin?" Instead of smacking me across the head... He laught at me. I felt so cheated as a kid that I wasn't old enough to go to war... I was totally into it. Remember the evening news when they would run the ticker tape at the bottom of the screen saying"........5 Americans wounded.... 150 VietCong killed....... 1 American killed 65 VietCong Killed..." I just KNEW if I were there, things would be different!!! By the time 1972 came around... I not only joined the Navy... I stayed in it for 8 years. Al's son had wisdom beyond his years.
In answer to your question before... Yup, Piccolo's joint was on the corner of Main and Robert Street.
You know Lillian? I get it now... The old addage "You can never go home anymore" is so true! Until the day I die, I will call Paterson my home and yet... It's not. I'm like the Spiritualist trying to communicate with the dead. To talk with what I hold dear can only be accomplished with an Ouija Board and yet... I cannot... Will not... Let this history pass into the night silently!!! Our neighborhood was special... The people were special... Depression era kids that fought and won WWII... Yeah, Tom Brokaw writes a "Suprising" book that was no real suprise to us... We were raised in a neighborhood run by the "Greatest Generation"... Imperfect, yeah... So what? I'd match them against anything today... Hands down!!!
So, I close for now... Hoping not to be perceived as the obnoxious moron I seem to be. Write soon!
Jim

[Lil]

Hi Jim,
The things you mentioned about how you felt , you could make a difference in the Veitnam war,Freddie felt the same as I recall he lied about his age and joined the Marines, we all were so shocked and sad when we heard of his death, especially Ralph, he thought alot of him.
I only wish I had'nt taken so long in trying to find my old friends,of course I have not always had the internet.
I am starting to believe I have waited too long. I do know Ralph is still alive and has his place on Union Ave.I might get up my nerve and call him and see if he can remember me, and know where all my friends have gone.
Well I will close for now write soon
from Lillian
PS. I forgot to login