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Old Posted Jun 12, 2011, 12:27 PM
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gsjansen gsjansen is offline
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somehow, i thought we had talked about little joe's, 900 n. broadway. located at the north east corner of college and broadway. i can't seem to locate any postings about it though..........................

anyway.............

In 1908 Robert Nuccio opened the Italian American Grocery store at 450 Hewitt Street.


Source: LAPL


In 1922 he sold the business to his best friend John Gadeschi and Joe Vivalda, they purchased the n. broadway building and relocated the store there in 1927.
prevoulsly the 900 n. broadway building housed the d.w. davis grocery and provisions store


Source: LAPL

The upper floors served as a hotel


Source: LAPL

In 1933 they opened up the little joe's restaurant at the north side of the building. The expansion of the grocery business into the restaurant business was necessitated in the early 1930s by an increasing number of construction workers frequenting the grocery store for meals and driving away other customers from the grocery business. By expanding to the cafe next door, John and Joe were able to keep their grocery customers and accomodate an increasing number of restaurant/meal customers.


Source: LAPL

According to well established family stories, the basement room was used to dress or clean wild game caught at Joe Vivalda's ranch near Ft. Tejon, to be served at the restaurant. Kneeling at right: Joe Vivalda.


Source: LAPL

after the construction of union station, chinatown relocated and centered itself around n. broadway. this photograph looking east on college across broadway was taken in 1941


Source: LAPL

at some point in either the late 40's or early 50's, the building was completely remodeled


Source: LAPL

an additional dining catering room was added on the north side of the building


Source: LAPL

in the late 60's the building was once again heavily remodeled, removing the upper hotel portion of the building.


Source: LAPL

in the late 70's i ate at little joe's, and this 1977 family portrait photograph, looking north on broadway across college, is exactly how i remember it.....


Source: LAPL

even though Robert Nuccio had sold the business back in 1922 to John Gadeschi and Joe Vivalda, the Nuccio family was always involved with the restaurant. On the left are John Albert Nuccio, Steve Nuccio, photograph was taken some time on the late 70's early 80's


Source: LAPL

Last edited by gsjansen; Jun 12, 2011 at 2:29 PM.
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