The Last Days of Little Italy: An Original Documentary Series.
Little Italy, a historic haven for immigrant families from the old country, was once threatened by an ever-expanding Chinatown. But now the fatal blow is being delivered by the gentrifiers. Corporations, yuppies, and chain stores all moved in. How did Little Italy transform itself from a working class neighborhood of tenement buildings to the third most expensive zip code in the United States?
Part funny, part sad, the series explores the impact gentrification is having on Little Italy’s long-term residents. The striking imagery captures the neighborhood before it is completely erased by sterile trendy stores and upper middle class sameness.
Will New York City lose another cultural touchstone to the forces of greed?
A Nolita Films Production
Written and Directed by Paul Stone
Produced by Claudia Montano
Cinematography & Editing by Paul Stone
Shot in New York City, Rome, Amalfi Coast & Puglia, Italy.
#newyork #littleitaly #nyc
45 Comments
Beautiful shop
Very sad.very very sad.
Wow this broke my heart.
A dam shame
Very sad! But we only have ourselves to blame. Selling out, moving on.. Little Italy, Bensonhurst, etc.
He's such a humble man, and his shop is lovely. Unfortunately, the world has reached this point. Great job, thank you for sharing! 😊
🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼. …………..FORZA ITALIA
Went there many times for chicken cutlet, prosciutto, mozzarella, peppers on a semolina hero .NYC under Bloomberg became all about money, making a city for just the rich, everyone else was left to wither.
Louie is an absolute 💯 gentleman , my godfather Jonny Fretta introduced me to him years ago .. remember when he moved to location he's at now from across the street ..
Worked soooo hard to make his store just right!! Good family.
There are plenty of Italian stores in Bronx’s little italy at least, authentic ones too
People dislike each other. All over the country. Not just in the boroughs. They dislike each other …immensely
Too bad greed is putting these old fine shops and restaurants out of business
Use to have a store in bklyn in 1970s also greatest store
Other store was fort Hamilton pky 40 st
This place is the best, I would get all my cheeses there, the fresh ricotta would be delivered every morning so I could make ricotta ice cream . Love this place love love love love it. Signed Adrian Nigro pastry assistant at Monuz restaurant back in the day
Thanks for your videos!
Thanks i love Italian food by the way new York city is getting pricey 👌👃🇺🇸🇵🇰🇮🇱👃👌
God Bless Louie and his family.
Great video. A big hug from Rome Italy
Another great video, Paul. Thank you so much!
How can it be a little Italy if the Italiani are all gone ?
God Bless Little Italy. This neighborhood and its people helped build this city. 🇮🇹🇺🇸 whatever we have left of Little Italy needs to remain and be saved. 💯
Wish the Italians were still here instead of the Chinks
For holidays my Aunt would walk to DiPalo and get all her cheeses, cold cuts etc. it was always the best and really made the holidays.
Thanks for sharing your story 🙏
Thomas can shoes buster brown 5 and dimes stores max suite bring it home try it then pay for suite
Love that place Get in there couple times a month
The Feast of San Gennaro is going on right now.
Diversity, the real story.
The end was powerful, I hope they never close
So many mom and pop stores across the boroughs that have been there for generations….gone…all gone, and with it the soul and charm of the neighborhood and surrounding community. Mr. DiPalo is right, and so was his great grandma.
Little Italy in NYC is a joke!! It is Chinatown annex!!
I would love to visit that store someday 🇮🇹
Smart man
😢
I just found your series & started watching this episode. I just learned ….. why my Grandma, whose family immigrated to Chicago in 1916, used the same word for the bathroom. I never knew the origin. Thank you! I can't wait to watch the whole series 😊👍
Another special doc…thank you 🌞
Brilliant. Simply a superlative production and presentation. Di Palo's is perfect. Their mozzarella, tomato and prosciutto hero is the stuff of legends. Parisi Bakery is also fantastic. But the Di Palo prosciutto is otherworldly…and the way their ingredients meld is unexplainable.
Let’s take back little Italy 🇮🇹 ❤
I wished you would do one on the irish in hells kitchen
Nyc has become a mish mash of ultra wealthy and subsidized illegals,
Great to hear this man’s story. My grandparents came through Ellis Island and I am forever grateful! 🗽🇺🇸🇮🇹
So sad, same situation in Australia
Very sad to see such a community with such a great heritage coming to an end 😢
So much rich history