The 1950s and '60s

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Specialties are their specialty

Staff Photo by Greg Bezanis

Claudio Specialty Foods, which joined the South Ninth Street merchants in the 1950s, is now run by second-and third-generation family members.

Since its founding in the 1950s, Claudio Specialty Foods, 924 S. Ninth St., has prided itself on serving gourmet foods to the wholesale and retail public in Bella Vista’s historic Italian Market. Claudio Auriemma Sr., and his wife, Salvatrice, started the family business after emigrating from Italy “for a better opportunity, to take a chance,” Yvonne Auriemma, daughter to the original owner, said.

Claudio specializes in importing traditional Mediterranean delicacies and favorites, including olive oil, vinegar, cheeses, meats and pastas.

Opening its doors at 902 S. Ninth St. at first, its operation was relocated to a bigger space — its current store just south of its first — in the ’70s. Owned and operated by the second and third generations, Claudio continues to serve the public with excellence.

-Katie Armstrong

Automatic choice

The Marconi-based Iannello’s Automotive has established a 59-year reputation for leaving customers at ease when they are getting their vehicles serviced.

If owner Jimmy Iannello were a philosopher, he might say “A family that aligns together shines together,” as Iannello’s Automotive, 2700 S. 15th St., has bred four generations of vehicle connoisseurs. Since 1953, the Marconi establishment has assisted more than 5,000 drivers.

“We are proud our work keeps people on the road,” Jimmy Iannello, who comprises the third generation along with brothers Jack and Joseph, said.

His location performs all procedures, except for transmission work, and enlists Angel, a 16-year-old husky, to let patrons know even the animal kingdom wants them to feel at ease when handing over their keys. Jimmy adds a personal touch by making in-person returns. His clients have matured with them, and he has helped their kin, too, with daughter Toni Iannello rounding out the generational commitment to quality.

“We treat people the way we would want to be treated,” she said.

-Joseph Myers

Basic bases

The Delaware Valley Youth Athletic Association started offering baseball in 1956 and remains a popular spot for local youngsters to learn the fundamentals of the game.

Though it used to attract hundreds of football enthusiasts, Delaware Valley Youth Athletic Association, 2840 S. 18th St., has become a haven for baseball lovers. Five years after its 1951 formation, the Marconi site added Little League play, and remains the city’s lone chartered site for such introductory action.

“Baseball is our legacy and we enjoy welcoming youngsters to our various teams,” Anthony Benedetto Sr. said.

President since 1997, he has forged a 28-year involvement with the entity, becoming acquainted with it when son Anthony Benedetto Jr. began taking swings. The older figure credits great coaches for molding dedicated diamond dwellers, whose participation makes them eligible to play in the Little League World Series.

“My favorite part is watching kids advance,” he said. “That’s so rewarding for me, them and their families.”

-Joseph Myers

A feat with feet

DanceAdelphia, 1100 Snyder Ave., has been a family-run operation since 1956 and continues to teach a variety of dance styles.

DanceAdelphia, 1100 Snyder Ave., is Philadelphia’s longest-running dance studio. It has served the community since 1956, when Anna Marie DiEgidio started giving lessons at Seventh and Federal streets in the bottom floor of a building her parents, Peter and Mary Yanetti, had bought two years earlier to suit her dancing passion.

When she started the business, DiEgidio offered children after-school lessons for 75 cents an hour. She and her son, co-owner Jason Douglas DiEgidio, relocated to East Passyunk Avenue in ’93. The studio settled at its current home in ’97.

Today, it offers a variety of dance lessons ranging from ballet to jazz, to hip-hop. The Lower Moyamensing spot also prides itself on giving students of all backgrounds a chance to find their way through dance.

“It’s about [the students] coming out of here and feeling good about themselves and loving dance,” Jason said.

-Katie Armstrong

Always an opening

Oregon Window Co., 628 Oregon Ave., has come a long way since opening in 1958 — even if it never left the street that is its namesake.

“We first opened in a cold garage at 1248 Oregon,” Anthony Nardy, who runs the business with his son, Tony Nardy Jr., said. “We worked with one light bulb hanging from the ceiling and one big table.”

The company has moved since, becoming a complete glass service and establishing itself as a go-to spot for residents in need of replacements or repairs.

“We threw our watches away, we did what we had to do when we had to do it. It was hard work all the way and we’re still working hard,” Anthony said.

While that work is normally comprised of standard windows and doors, the Nardys know that customers can present unique requests – a glass panel door specifically for the use of a cat, for example.

“We meet the challenge,” Anthony said.

-Bobby Kittredge

Localizing the dining scene

When Italian immigrant Sylvio DiCristo opened JC Chinese, which was originally a bar, in 1958, he wanted to create a space specifically for the South Philly community.

He overheard that customers traveled to Chinatown for ethnic food, and thought, why not accommodate the demand in the East Passyunk Crossing neighborhood?

“He served mussels at the bar of course, but he wanted to keep locals local,” Renae DiCristo, his daughter and JC co-owner, said.

Sylvio bought the building behind the restaurant to expand the kitchen and dining area, and created a menu with chef John Lee that incorporated area favorites and traditional Chinese dishes, such as Gen. Tso’s chicken, cheesesteak rolls and chicken wings.

“My brother Joseph learned everything from my father, and I learned everything from him,” she said. “So even when my father died 25 years ago, we were still able to have the restaurant he wanted.”

-Samantha Byles

Shining through time

D. Olivieri Jewelers, 2523 S. Broad St., has been a neighborhood favorite jewelry shop for more than five decades, with its watches, rings, necklaces and more.

Opened by Dan Olivieri Sr. in 1957 and now operated by his wife Lena Olivieri and son, Dan Olivieri Jr., this family-owned business has proven commitment to quality merchandise and convenience for customers.

“We offer a big selection just like the big stores but at a small, neighborhood price,” Olivieri Jr. said.

The initial business was located in the building next to the now-jewelry store, but with the need for a bigger, more modern space, successful sales allowed for the move in ’80.

Olivieri Jr. and his mother boast that they, as business owners, know what people in the neighborhood want.

“Keeping up with the current trends,” Olivieri Jr. said, has allowed the business to “make people know we’re trustworthy.”

-Lauren Hertzler

Hi-ho, the Mario

South Philly continues to honor a local icon’s memory at the Mario Lanza Instiute & Museum.

Born Alfred Arnold Cocozza in 1921, singer Mario Lanza lived only 38 years yet gained enough acclaim that Bella Vista’s The Mario Lanza Institute & Museum, 712 Montrose St., has since ’62 lauded his memory and mission to grant scholarships to young voices.

Family and friends conceived the site in ’61 , and the spot’s third-year president, William Ronayne Jr., has served as the administrator for the Mario Lanza Scholarship auditions since 2004, with his tenure increasing the total distribution to more than 200 winners. Many have emulated their predecessor by achieving stardom in opera and on the concert stage, with memorabilia from his career available in the museum, now in its fourth location.

“It has been an enriching and rewarding experience for me working alongside the other volunteers in preserving Mario Lanza’s legacy and memory and keeping his dream of aiding young singers alive,” Ronayne said.

-Joseph Myers

Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.

South Philly Milestones
The Pre-1900s
The 1900s
The 1910s
The 1920s
The 1930s
The 1940s

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