LITTLE ITALY An enclave with a rich and diverse history sdnews.com
Little Italy Culture & Heritage
By TOM CESARINI Little Italy offers more than just phenomenal food and splendid shops. This colorful neighborhood also shines with tradition and legacy. Convivio strives to preserve this legacy through its auxiliary, the Little Italy Heritage Foundation, with the following objectives: • Preserve the historical and cultural-heritage assets of Little Italy • Organize heritage and cultural events, exhibits, and projects • Engage in advocacy and fundraising to help secure fiscal support • Maintain Amici House, Little Italy’s event, heritage, and visitor center • Solicit the community for Little Italy artifacts for inclusion in the Italian Archives of San Diego, a digital repository of community
Bay City Drug served the community for many years and was a local hangout for the teens in the neighborhood. Today, patrons visit Born and Raised steak house on this site. (Courtesy of the Cresci Family and Convivio) historical photographs, documents, and oral histories. Convivio is at the forefront of efforts to perpetuate the historical narrative and vibrant heritage of
this treasured Italian enclave. We are currently working on several historical projects through SEE LITTLE ITALY, Page 12
Despite pandemic, Little Italy businesses prevail Little Italy News By CHRISTOPHER GOMEZ It’s been a year since our community and the rest of the world began battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Small businesses everywhere have been affected and put into survival mode during this time of crisis. Many have needed financial assistance to stay open or had to completely shut down if they weren’t able to make ends meet. Even our beloved and resilient businesses here in Little Italy have had to quickly pivot to stay open. We are so grateful to say that because of their determination and unrivaled community support, no businesses have had to close their doors. Little Italy cafés, restaurants, pubs, fine dining, boutiques, art galleries and shops have all adapted to this “new normal.” Local eateries began offering curbside pickup, takeout, and delivery services. And that’s not all. Many businesses have gotten creative and found innovative ways to continue providing services to the community and engage with their customers safely: boutiques are offering FaceTime personal shopping; shops are offering personalized subscription services for jewelry, coffee, or ice cream; and wineries are even delivering local wine right to your door. Even with the challenges of COVID, new businesses are opening and flourishing in our beautiful community. Allegro, a new Italian restaurant, expects to open its doors to the community later this month. Pizza enthusiasts,
Little Italy fountain (Photo courtesy Little Italy Association) get ready for a new go-to spot in the neighborhood, Mr. Moto Pizza — specializing in authentic New York-style pizza. For those of us who want to eat with our eyes first, there’s Pop Pops Paletas, a pop art inspired popsicle ice cream shop. They are already open and running, so make sure to get your natural, gourmet, handmade popsicle when you get the chance! All of this amazing success couldn’t have been possible without the support of our Little Italy community. We want to thank everyone who has supported and continues to support local businesses during this difficult time. Thank you for continuing to help our famiglia in any way you can, whether it be big or small. We also can’t forget about those in our neighborhood that haven’t been able to open their doors: barbershops, hair salons, gyms and yoga studios. Some have gone virtual, while others have continued
to stay closed in the meantime. Our goal is to continue to support in any way we can. So please, take that virtual yoga class, buy those gift cards for a manicure and hair color and cut once they’re open again. Let’s continue to stand by our businesses and show that “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” For a running list of open bu s i ne s s e s , p l e a s e v i s it LittleItalySD.com For more ways to Shop, Dine & Support #LittleItalySD join our Facebook group dedicated to supporting our Little Italy community and local business owners. Stay up to date by following us! Instagram @littleitalysd, Facebook @littleitalysd and Twitter @littleitalysd. —Christopher Gomez has been Little Italy’s district manager since 2000. Reach him at chris@littleitalysd.com.
San Diego Downtown & Uptown News February 2021
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