[NEW EPISODE] Dyker Heights

A Little Bit Of Italy In Southwest Brooklyn

On this week’s show we will visit Dyker Heights, In Brooklyn. 

My guests will be expert tour guide Jeremy Wilcox, Founder and Owner of Custom NYC Tours, https://www.customnyctours.com/; and Alfred DiScipio,  owner of La Villa Pizzeria, https://lavillapizza.com/

Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.

Show Notes

Segment 1

On today’s show, we focus on Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. The episode features Jeremy Wilcox who is the founder and owner of Custom NYC Tours. He always loved exploring New York City neighborhoods in Ben before he got paid for it. He enjoyed going exploring with his friends in his spare time. The Dutch first began to settle in the area in the mid 1600’s. Dyker Heights originally got its name from Dyker meadows. When war started to take place, coastal control became more in demand. This led to another fort being built across The Narrows.

Segment 2

This summer Jeremey will be doing many in person tours around New York City including his Central Park walking and Midtown landmark and architecture tour. People can find out more by visiting his website www.customnyctours.com. Next the two discuss Walter Johnson and how he is known as the father of Dyker Heights. He is responsible for creating many beautiful homes within the city of Brooklyn. By the start of the First World War, the neighborhood was mostly settled. Later, some major renovations took place that made some buildings unrecognizable but the neighborhood remains the same. Jeremy explains how the sloping streets and big houses with stone frames make it unique compared to other suburban neighborhoods. Annually, there is a Christmas tradition in which the natives elaborately decorate their homes which attracts many tourists.

Segment 3

Tonight’s show will feature another guest for the second half of the show named Alfred Discipio. He is a New York native who was born in Brooklyn and moved all around the state. His family is originally from Italy. He owns the pizzeria La Villa Pizzeria and has a relative who owns an Italian Ice shop. Alfred’s cousins were in America before his parents came in the 1950’s. One of them was very smart and invented the pizza press. In 1962, they opened the doors of their new factory that Alfred worked in for many summers. This became the family business. He eventually decided to open his place in Dyker Heights and his family was so glad that he had come back.

Segment 4

Next Alfred describes the vibe of the neighborhood. He explains how he sees how families are setlng there longterm and making the location a home. He sees many children and families in the area. The restaurant in Dyker Heights opened up in 2017 and construction started in 2016. He noticed at his other location in Park Slope that there are many people who are regulares who do not live in the area. Some people travel multiple blocks to come in which is great. As a business owner, the pandemic was a big hit for him and his business but he has overcome the obstacles.

Transcript

00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:41.370 Jeff Goodman: Hello everyone, welcome to our listeners in the big apple from across the US and around the world i'm Jeff Goodman and you've tuned into rediscovering New York.

00:00:42.060 --> 00:00:48.000 Jeff Goodman: professionally i'm a real estate broker with brown Harris Stevens, but our show is not about real estate.

00:00:48.630 --> 00:00:55.950 Jeff Goodman: rediscovering New York as a weekly program celebrating New York, its history, its neighborhoods the texture and vibe of our amazing city.

00:00:56.700 --> 00:01:05.820 Jeff Goodman: And we do it through interviews with historians local business owners nonprofit organizations preservationists musicians and artists and the occasional elected official.

00:01:06.600 --> 00:01:15.780 Jeff Goodman: On some shows like tonight's we bring an individual New York neighborhood to life for you, we explore its history and its current energy what makes that particular New York neighborhood special.

00:01:16.800 --> 00:01:22.560 Jeff Goodman: On some shows we celebrate an interesting and vital color the city and its history that's not focused on one particular neighborhood.

00:01:23.310 --> 00:01:33.630 Jeff Goodman: i'm prior episodes you've heard us covered topics as diverse and eliminating as American presidents who came from lived in or who had some interesting history here in New York, about half of them believe it or not.

00:01:34.320 --> 00:01:42.600 Jeff Goodman: we've looked at the history of women activists in the suffrage movement we've looked at the history of different immigrant communities, including people who were brought here enslaved.

00:01:43.140 --> 00:01:52.350 Jeff Goodman: we've looked at the history of the city's LGBT community and the gay rights movement we've looked at bicycles and cycling they've been part of the fabric of New York for more than 200 years.

00:01:52.860 --> 00:01:57.420 Jeff Goodman: we've looked at the history of punk and opera two of my passions, they were separate shows, by the way.

00:01:58.020 --> 00:02:04.110 Jeff Goodman: we've looked at our library systems we have three in New York, by the way, believe it or not, we have three public library systems.

00:02:04.500 --> 00:02:11.970 Jeff Goodman: We visited the subway public art, we visited some of our greatest train stations and even some of our bridges, just to name a few.

00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:22.440 Jeff Goodman: After the broadcast each show is available on podcast you can catch us on apple spotify Amazon podcasts stitcher Google and other services.

00:02:23.070 --> 00:02:33.420 Jeff Goodman: Well tonight we're journeying to apply place that's sort of close to my heart, because it's not far from where I grew up in the brooklyn of my of the Borough of my home, which is brooklyn.

00:02:33.810 --> 00:02:44.700 Jeff Goodman: And that is teicher heights and we're going to have a lot of fun with this, because we have two great guests and some topics that even those who are not initiated in New York will come to appreciate.

00:02:45.600 --> 00:02:57.900 Jeff Goodman: My first guest is no stranger to the program he's JEREMY wilcox JEREMY is a licensed New York City tour guide he's a New York native and he's the owner of a company called custom nyc tours.

00:02:58.650 --> 00:03:04.890 Jeff Goodman: Is small group of private walking towards focuses on the cities neighborhoods and the city's history art and architecture.

00:03:05.730 --> 00:03:18.870 Jeff Goodman: JEREMY also serves on the board of the guides association of New York City it's one of the oldest and most active tour guide associations in the United States, Jeremy wilcox a hearty welcome back to rediscovering New York.

00:03:20.940 --> 00:03:21.990 Jeremy Wilcox: Thank you for having me again.

00:03:22.890 --> 00:03:26.700 Jeff Goodman: it's always a pleasure you're originally from New York aren't you.

00:03:27.630 --> 00:03:35.940 Jeremy Wilcox: Yes, I grew up in a fairly sleepy neighborhood and Queens called Richmond hill South Richmond Hill, to be precise, and now I live here in brooklyn.

00:03:36.600 --> 00:03:40.500 Jeff Goodman: And we're in brooklyn do you live, since we're doing a program on a on a special perfect neighborhood.

00:03:41.250 --> 00:03:44.010 Jeremy Wilcox: I live in flatbush just out the prospect park.

00:03:45.810 --> 00:03:48.990 Jeff Goodman: In a neighborhood that one Michael Victorian brooklyn Victorian.

00:03:49.020 --> 00:03:57.360 Jeremy Wilcox: Yes, sort of yeah I just saw it around the sort of edges of Victorian flatbush which is sort of one of my specialties in a beautiful place to check out for anyone who's never been there.

00:03:58.140 --> 00:04:13.200 Jeff Goodman: And i'm actually going to ask you about some of the tours you're you're conducting now a little later in the program um but, in general, when did you decide that you would go into the business of designing and leading towards of this amazing city that we live in.

00:04:13.980 --> 00:04:21.420 Jeremy Wilcox: So I started doing tours in the spring of 2016 it was something I kind of had in the back of my mind, for a few years.

00:04:21.810 --> 00:04:31.680 Jeremy Wilcox: I loved even before I was getting paid to do it exploring New York City neighborhoods and showing people around I would drag all my poor friends around every weekend and be like we're going to go explore this neighborhood and.

00:04:32.280 --> 00:04:45.390 Jeremy Wilcox: was after I think exploration of red hook that a friend of mine was like you're really good at this, you should quit the job that you hate and go do this professionally instead and took me a few months to let that rattle around in my head, but that's what's the spark.

00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:57.120 Jeff Goodman: Well, and what better place to conduct tours of neighborhoods in New York, we have so many of them and the history here is so long, not by European standards, but certainly by American standards.

00:04:58.500 --> 00:05:03.720 Jeff Goodman: The names of many New York neighborhoods have interesting oranges oranges origin this.

00:05:04.740 --> 00:05:22.890 Jeff Goodman: I want to ask you how Dr heights got its name, but first let's go back a little bit maybe 350 years to win the Dutch first settled in what would become tiger heights and even before like much of the area with their local unhappy people living here before the Europeans came.

00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:35.880 Jeremy Wilcox: Yes, so long before European colonization began in the 17th century, this was all sort of land overseen by the local local and obey tribes, who are just sort of living and.

00:05:36.930 --> 00:05:43.170 Jeremy Wilcox: Farm harvesting and farming in these these lands before you know I mean before Europeans began settling on these shores.

00:05:44.730 --> 00:05:47.580 Jeff Goodman: And when did the Dutch first settle the area JEREMY.

00:05:48.990 --> 00:05:57.150 Jeremy Wilcox: So the Dutch really began to settle brooklyn really in the early to mid 1600s, but what is now we think of as tiger heights.

00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:11.190 Jeremy Wilcox: was officially settled in 1657 i'm as one of the five Dutch towns of what will eventually become brooklyn which they called New Utrecht obviously named after the town of Utrecht, in the Netherlands.

00:06:12.330 --> 00:06:16.860 Jeff Goodman: and other towns that were that also had Dutch names, there was new Amsterdam, which was the first.

00:06:17.970 --> 00:06:29.820 Jeff Goodman: There was a new hot LM which became Harlem and you tricked and there were also was Bush vic which became bushwick and lock Bush, which became flatbush.

00:06:31.350 --> 00:06:38.790 Jeremy Wilcox: and new i'm Sir forte and you know many others that sort of eventually changed their names, but yes new Utrecht was the official name of this.

00:06:39.420 --> 00:06:48.810 Jeremy Wilcox: Town, which would comprise of everything from you know modern day Decker heights as well as Bay Ridge, and all those surrounding areas sort of southern brooklyn.

00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:58.980 Jeff Goodman: Was there actually a village in new Utrecht, or was it more of just a bunch of farms and a farming community was there a village that we would have seen back in those days.

00:06:59.490 --> 00:07:04.950 Jeremy Wilcox: not really I mean of all of the the Dutch towns in that area really was the least settled overall.

00:07:05.820 --> 00:07:23.220 Jeremy Wilcox: It was mostly woodland really up until the mid 19th century there were you know people doing some farming there but it wasn't as active it say you know flatbush would have been around the same time was mostly just forest land for most of the time during the Dutch era.

00:07:25.080 --> 00:07:27.900 Jeff Goodman: And where does the name tiger heights come from JEREMY.

00:07:29.070 --> 00:07:38.610 Jeremy Wilcox: So that's kind of you know, an interesting debate, obviously against us later on, but like when one of the first developers named the area Decker heights they said Oh, it was named.

00:07:39.150 --> 00:07:49.350 Jeremy Wilcox: You know, after the dagger meadows and then people like well where did the diaper meadows get its name from and there's two sort of interconnected competing theories there's no nobody believes they have a definitive answer.

00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:53.880 Jeff Goodman: we'd like controversy and, yes, there is controversy and us.

00:07:54.060 --> 00:08:04.620 Jeremy Wilcox: You know, a couple different tour guides and i'll give you a different answer this but um there was a Dutch family living in the area in the town of new Utrecht, called the Van dyke family.

00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:13.170 Jeremy Wilcox: So a lot of people say Oh well, that it was you know, it was the darker heights because it was the Van dyck family living there, but simultaneously.

00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:19.680 Jeremy Wilcox: The van dikes and others, they were using literal dykes to drain the marshlands and to drain the meadows.

00:08:20.550 --> 00:08:25.290 Jeremy Wilcox: And so people believe Oh, it was named Decker after the actual dykes.

00:08:25.860 --> 00:08:31.680 Jeremy Wilcox: Part of some of which were used by the Van dyke family so it's you know I guess part of its and like a chicken egg like.

00:08:31.980 --> 00:08:45.540 Jeremy Wilcox: Where exactly did it come from there's no definitive answer even you know a lot of New York and brooklyn historians don't know definitively but the answer lies somewhere in between those two you know family, the family or the dikes.

00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:50.820 Jeff Goodman: it's kind of like trying to pin the name of fire island where does that come from, I think there are five different explanations for it.

00:08:51.270 --> 00:08:55.410 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah and again it has five different tour guides and they'll give you five you know 10 different answers probably.

00:08:57.210 --> 00:09:11.940 Jeff Goodman: Well, we can't talk about tiger heights without discussing a major US military for which is actually is still an active military base and that's for Hamilton which was established long before the residential development in the neighborhood was in the area was.

00:09:13.380 --> 00:09:23.550 Jeff Goodman: Before the fort was built itself, so I want to spend just a couple minutes talking about for Hamilton was there a coastal Defense that was first built on the shores before the Ford actually went up.

00:09:23.640 --> 00:09:32.730 Jeremy Wilcox: Yes, so before for Hamilton existed there was a small battery more or less on the same site that was just simply known as the narrows for.

00:09:33.270 --> 00:09:36.870 Jeremy Wilcox: which was there during the time of the American revolution was.

00:09:37.380 --> 00:09:45.720 Jeremy Wilcox: did see active duty during the the battle of brooklyn in 1776, also known as the battle of long island, so the narrows forte was there and eventually.

00:09:46.050 --> 00:10:00.900 Jeremy Wilcox: For Hamilton, which was a larger, more proper Fort was built on its site, I would add that, for Hamilton today is the only remaining active Department of Defense sort of fortification in the entire city of New York oh.

00:10:01.350 --> 00:10:03.870 Jeff Goodman: So obviously in Fort wadsworth has been decommissioned.

00:10:04.290 --> 00:10:04.860 Jeff Goodman: Yes, it's.

00:10:05.220 --> 00:10:06.630 Jeremy Wilcox: Just judical place to visit.

00:10:06.900 --> 00:10:08.430 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah historic site.

00:10:09.780 --> 00:10:17.460 Jeff Goodman: Well, I when I was, I went there on a weekend in the boy scouts in the 1970s, and it was still an active military base it was kind of exciting that we got access to it.

00:10:19.020 --> 00:10:29.790 Jeff Goodman: And in a bit of military history which by the way, is one of your specialties there is, there is the other military base right across from the narrows that's the verrazano narrows, and that is for wadsworth.

00:10:31.020 --> 00:10:38.280 Jeff Goodman: which we actually visited on a past episode, by the way, if anyone wants to get the archives it's episode 59 and march of 2019.

00:10:38.820 --> 00:10:53.220 Jeff Goodman: Why was there a need to build a four on this side of the water when there was one right on the other side of the narrows when cannon fire in the day, clearly could reach the other side of the relatively narrow waterway, why did they build another forward here.

00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:59.910 Jeremy Wilcox: So that's a good question, I mean just in general, all these forts were built, you know after the war of 1812 when there was.

00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:06.510 Jeremy Wilcox: recognized, a major need for coastal protections and so you had a number of coastal forts all throughout the city.

00:11:07.350 --> 00:11:18.090 Jeremy Wilcox: Many of which are still there in one form or another, as these kind of beautiful store excites but for Hamilton one of its actually primary purposes was as a defensive site for fourth Lafayette.

00:11:18.780 --> 00:11:29.160 Jeremy Wilcox: which was in the narrows on a reef no longer exists it basically what was left of it had to be destroyed during the construction of the barons on on narrows bridge in the 20th century.

00:11:30.180 --> 00:11:46.620 Jeremy Wilcox: But the idea was that Ford Hamilton would be a land based Defense for for Lafayette was kind of you know, to back that up and obviously were for Hamilton is was closer to four Lafayette then for wadsworth on the shore of Staten island hmm.

00:11:47.610 --> 00:12:00.030 Jeff Goodman: Well let's actually go retreat a little bit no pun intended from the fort about the hell were tiger heights is now um who was general renee Eduardo Lucy and what was his history in the air and What did he do.

00:12:01.260 --> 00:12:09.480 Jeremy Wilcox: So renee Edward the received was a Brigadier general in the US army, he was one of the people who was really put in charge of the construction.

00:12:09.870 --> 00:12:20.310 Jeremy Wilcox: Of for Hamilton which was in the 1820s and so, because this was kind of going to be his pet project to oversee he bought a plot of land and what is now Decker heights.

00:12:20.730 --> 00:12:26.850 Jeremy Wilcox: Roughly at about what is today at second street and 11th avenue, which, if you know the neighborhood you know it's really one of the highest.

00:12:27.450 --> 00:12:34.410 Jeremy Wilcox: points of elevation in the neighborhood so we bought a plot of land and build what really was the first significant home.

00:12:34.920 --> 00:12:39.390 Jeremy Wilcox: In that entire area and it was, for you know, two major reasons one.

00:12:39.810 --> 00:12:45.180 Jeremy Wilcox: You know, he was a Brigadier general so from a strategic point of view, being up on one of the finest points in southern brooklyn.

00:12:45.510 --> 00:12:53.940 Jeremy Wilcox: get a great view of the harbor he could obviously see for Hamilton and its entirety from there, originally but you know also was kind of Nice because she had a.

00:12:54.510 --> 00:13:07.050 Jeremy Wilcox: Beautiful view of the harbor strategic viewer or not it was just in sort of a nice place to sort of settle with his family up there, but it was really the first major home that was built in that area.

00:13:08.430 --> 00:13:12.210 Jeff Goodman: let's fast forward to after the civil war, who was Frederick Henry Johnson.

00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:24.360 Jeremy Wilcox: So Frederick Henry Johnson was the person with him and his wife Jane who purchased the wc home, this was a couple of decades after he had passed, his wife.

00:13:24.750 --> 00:13:37.890 Jeremy Wilcox: owned the property then and Frederick Henry Johnson purchase that property because, again, it was really the only major significant home and that point wanted it for the same reason to receive wanted it was beautiful view of the harbor.

00:13:38.400 --> 00:13:52.410 Jeremy Wilcox: Just gorgeous piece of you know, property and really also had the spark at the time of you know, this could be a beautiful neighborhood it was not really a neighborhood right, you know, back then, it was.

00:13:53.070 --> 00:14:01.290 Jeremy Wilcox: kind of barely used farmland still fairly woodland and then the military Fort and some new developments coming here and there, but.

00:14:01.680 --> 00:14:11.280 Jeremy Wilcox: bought it in the back of his mind with the idea of this land is valuable of you know, for the same reason that the room, he saw it is valuable minus the sort of military aspect of it.

00:14:12.090 --> 00:14:17.520 Jeff Goodman: And he was not only a property developer, but he was also politically engaged, maybe setting the stage for.

00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:34.620 Jeff Goodman: Our developers, these days, and that he helped the city of brooklyn and next what would become diagram heights and that was actually before brooklyn itself became part of greater New York in 1998 so he spearheaded brooklyn sort of subsuming what would become docker hides.

00:14:35.130 --> 00:14:41.940 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah I mean the I mean you could write an entire book about the history of brooklyn that just takes place in the 1890s it was such rapid change.

00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:51.660 Jeremy Wilcox: So the town of new Utrecht again settled in 1657 was basically dissolved in 1894 when it was incorporated into the larger city of brooklyn.

00:14:52.050 --> 00:14:59.700 Jeremy Wilcox: And that basically lasted for just four years, because then in 1898 the city of brooklyn is then annexed larger city of New York.

00:14:59.970 --> 00:15:06.450 Jeremy Wilcox: And you went from just in a few years, new Utrecht kind of being its own little separate town to just being.

00:15:06.810 --> 00:15:22.770 Jeremy Wilcox: A little subsection of the city of brooklyn, which in turn now it's just one neighborhood of one to five boroughs of a larger city so just rapid change and less than a decade of this area, which is the entire story of brooklyn in the city as a whole in the 1890s well.

00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:29.460 Jeff Goodman: also want to add that, when brooklyn became part of New York in 1898 the population of the city of brooklyn was actually a million people.

00:15:30.330 --> 00:15:31.590 Jeff Goodman: which was pretty big in those days.

00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:43.380 Jeff Goodman: we're going to take a short break and when we come back we're going to continue our conversation with JEREMY wilcox of custom nyc tours on this program this is episode 121 I believe 120 2122 i've lost count array.

00:15:43.830 --> 00:15:46.560 Jeff Goodman: And we're focusing on diaper heights in brooklyn we'll be back in a moment.

00:18:01.410 --> 00:18:06.480 Jeff Goodman: we're back and you're back to rediscovering New York, and this is episode 122, by the way, and.

00:18:06.510 --> 00:18:09.000 Jeff Goodman: We are visiting diaper heights in brooklyn.

00:18:09.630 --> 00:18:25.170 Jeff Goodman: My first guest is JEREMY wilcox JEREMY is the founder and owner of custom nyc tours it's a great tool company, many of the tours which are focused on brooklyn JEREMY what are some of the tours that people can take advantage of this summer at custom nyc tours.

00:18:31.320 --> 00:18:38.850 Jeremy Wilcox: forgot to unmute myself the two most popular tourism and doing this summer, my central park walking tour, and my midtown landmarks and architecture tour.

00:18:39.210 --> 00:18:46.950 Jeremy Wilcox: I also run a tour of Victorian flatbush in brooklyn a couple weekends, a month, but those have really been my sort of hot sellers this year.

00:18:48.120 --> 00:18:53.880 Jeff Goodman: And you've gone back to doing tours in real time sort of as we're coming into the pandemic yes.

00:18:53.940 --> 00:18:56.760 Jeremy Wilcox: All all in person walking tours this this year.

00:18:57.600 --> 00:19:00.420 Jeff Goodman: And if people want to find out about your tours, how can they do that.

00:19:01.170 --> 00:19:14.490 Jeremy Wilcox: They can you can go to my website, which is WW dot custom nyc tours COM my calendar of tour offerings is there, you can also email me if you wanted to kind of create a custom tour happy to do that as well.

00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:24.360 Jeff Goodman: Great and I know i've been threatening to come on your tour of Victorian flappers which I really need to do when I have a free Saturday or free Saturday afternoon.

00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:36.900 Jeff Goodman: We talked about Frederick Henry Johnson who helped spearhead new trick becoming part of brooklyn but he actually didn't live to see when brooklyn became part of New York.

00:19:37.320 --> 00:19:45.600 Jeff Goodman: But his son Walter Johnson did, and he was responsible for a lot of the development and tiger heights you want to talk a little bit about about Walter.

00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:51.330 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah so he really is, if anyone is the father of darker heights, as we know it.

00:19:51.990 --> 00:20:00.270 Jeremy Wilcox: There were a number of developments down there and southern brooklyn at the time, including you know what they called bensonhurst by the sea that we're taking advantage of.

00:20:00.570 --> 00:20:18.180 Jeremy Wilcox: People basically looking for suburban living near the Atlantic Ocean, this is also the time of the in the late 19th century of the rise of coney island, as we know it today, and so he saw the potential in his father's land of creating this development, so he began buying a.

00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:29.100 Jeremy Wilcox: property and building beautiful beautiful homes about of the 150 homes that were developed around this time about half of them actually still exist.

00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:39.570 Jeremy Wilcox: But the idea of creating you know what we think of today is a gorgeous server now, today, we would think of suburbs as being kind of you know, outside the city, but keep in mind things moved a lot slower.

00:20:40.020 --> 00:20:49.500 Jeremy Wilcox: Back then, so these the suburbs in those days would have been you know kind of on the outskirts of brooklyn at that point, and I certainly have the potential of being the next big suburb.

00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:58.050 Jeff Goodman: So, even though this was within the city of brooklyn at the time it was still conceived as suburban what was what was then considered suburban housing and not Urban Housing.

00:20:58.410 --> 00:21:04.290 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah you know, in contrast to tenement living or just apartment and living in general, you had single family homes.

00:21:04.590 --> 00:21:08.520 Jeremy Wilcox: On it looked very different you know all of these developers, you know they were.

00:21:08.820 --> 00:21:14.070 Jeremy Wilcox: installing gas lines water telephone electricity lines, most of which were being put under ground.

00:21:14.310 --> 00:21:22.200 Jeremy Wilcox: Planting beautiful tree lined streets, so it looked a complete contrast to city life as we, you know as they thought of it today, and even.

00:21:22.530 --> 00:21:31.530 Jeremy Wilcox: Sorry thought of it, then, and even think of today, you know, it was a key visual contrast but also accessible by transportation to get to the jobs in the city core.

00:21:32.370 --> 00:21:37.560 Jeff Goodman: Was the public transportation from what what became tiger heights to downtown brooklyn into Manhattan.

00:21:38.580 --> 00:21:47.760 Jeremy Wilcox: Yes, there was a ferry service down by the water that you could get and then there was back what was then sort of private commuter rail.

00:21:48.450 --> 00:21:54.300 Jeremy Wilcox: That went you know into Manhattan and up into downtown brooklyn eventually obviously you would have the.

00:21:54.540 --> 00:22:06.540 Jeremy Wilcox: New York subway coming in along the area most people going out to what is now the arline belong fourth avenue, but you did have over their private railway, as well as a ferry that will bring people to where they needed to go.

00:22:07.650 --> 00:22:20.520 Jeff Goodman: When would the neighborhood that we see today, aside from Fort Hamilton which is older obviously when would we begin to see the neighborhood looking like it is today, would it have been that way by the First World War, with the development, most of the development of come after that.

00:22:21.810 --> 00:22:27.180 Jeremy Wilcox: You know a good chunk of it would have like I said a lot of the earliest homes were built right around the turn of the century.

00:22:28.110 --> 00:22:34.770 Jeremy Wilcox: You also had right in the early 20th century, the development of the tiger heights golf course and the surrounding park.

00:22:35.670 --> 00:22:46.620 Jeremy Wilcox: You had schools coming in there, so then really the neighborhood with I think more or less settled by the start of the the First World War now after you get to post World War Two.

00:22:47.340 --> 00:22:53.670 Jeremy Wilcox: You know a lot of the homes because the neighborhood was never landmarked in any way a lot of some of the earlier homes and properties were.

00:22:54.240 --> 00:23:00.150 Jeremy Wilcox: Either torn down and built with new homes and these giant mansions or significantly renovated.

00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:10.200 Jeremy Wilcox: Some, to the point where they might not be recognizable as the original property, but the basic I guess footprint of Decker heights as we think of it would have been settled by around the First World War.

00:23:11.370 --> 00:23:25.830 Jeff Goodman: let's talk about some of the unique aspects of the neighborhood and from an architectural standpoint what what kind of things, would you see in Decker heights that you generally would not see in other neighborhoods in the city and even those that were built around the same time.

00:23:27.030 --> 00:23:31.260 Jeremy Wilcox: Well, besides that sloping streets that give it the heights part of the name.

00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:39.300 Jeremy Wilcox: You have you know just massive homes against single family homes, although eventually there would be on the outskirts of neighborhoods some apartment buildings put in.

00:23:40.230 --> 00:23:49.530 Jeremy Wilcox: But just big home some it because they're on the Hill, you have you know a lot of the streets, you have the sort of garage level on the street level they're also a kind of a.

00:23:49.950 --> 00:24:04.440 Jeremy Wilcox: tilt but beautiful kind of stone frames, most of the home being sort of above the street level it's very unique I mean architecturally it's it doesn't look like any other neighborhood in New York City in terms of its you know kind of very distinct suburban style.

00:24:05.190 --> 00:24:08.250 Jeff Goodman: And I don't know if Walter Johnson was responsible for this, but maybe you can.

00:24:09.990 --> 00:24:22.770 Jeff Goodman: enlighten us on it, there was there were deed restrictions built into some of the lots that were sold so houses would have to have certain kinds of characteristics, would have to be set back from the street in order for them to actually go up.

00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:31.110 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah you know that Johnson would have been primarily responsible for a lot of that, and most of those you know suburban neighborhoods including.

00:24:31.410 --> 00:24:38.160 Jeremy Wilcox: Victorian flatbush which we learned to whether did have at the time, very strict deed restrictions they've really wanted to control.

00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:46.560 Jeremy Wilcox: The way the lots were used the way the homes would look they wanted a very distinct uniform architectural style a lot of the earlier homes would have been.

00:24:47.040 --> 00:24:55.950 Jeremy Wilcox: Victorian style Queen and style and they really wanted to kind of protect the character of the neighborhood you know for branding purposes alone.

00:24:57.240 --> 00:25:06.210 Jeff Goodman: And, of course, one of the benefits of buying some of those houses, would be the water views which could go all the way across sandy hook in New Jersey to sandy hook in New Jersey.

00:25:06.630 --> 00:25:14.520 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah and see you know the pallets that you can see, all the way the palisades in one direction yeah sandy hook just beautiful sweeping Atlantic Ocean views.

00:25:15.450 --> 00:25:22.410 Jeremy Wilcox: don't really have as many of those today due to some newer developments, but you know when these homes are first being built, I mean just.

00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:31.110 Jeremy Wilcox: Beautiful views, even today from the sort of higher parts of you know Decker height, you can see the difference on a bridge and you really kind of get a nice view from there.

00:25:32.130 --> 00:25:34.920 Jeff Goodman: except, of course, if you have the veterans hospital in front of you.

00:25:35.490 --> 00:25:37.020 Jeremy Wilcox: are looking at sort of directly.

00:25:37.170 --> 00:25:42.120 Jeremy Wilcox: Due South vantage point you really not saying much besides the hospital these days.

00:25:42.750 --> 00:25:51.570 Jeff Goodman: And this is an interesting horticultural aspect of the neighborhood which are sugar maple trees, I think it was Johnson who planted sugar maple trees way back when.

00:25:52.020 --> 00:25:56.310 Jeremy Wilcox: yep he would Those were some of the earliest start planting see did would have been like.

00:25:57.750 --> 00:26:08.940 Jeremy Wilcox: On the avenues and long something you know 20 along the streets, you know, so the where it was kind of very beautiful and distinct compared to you know elm or London plain other types of trees, you would typically see in these neighborhoods.

00:26:09.750 --> 00:26:17.040 Jeff Goodman: And there was some notable school construction one, I believe the first public school for children of from blind children was built.

00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:19.770 Jeff Goodman: In like or heights maybe in the first decade.

00:26:19.770 --> 00:26:20.610 Jeff Goodman: of the last century.

00:26:21.630 --> 00:26:31.170 Jeff Goodman: And there's another large private school on one end of the neighbor that's poly prep used to be called may still be the Polytechnic preparatory school, I went to day camp, there was a poly prep established.

00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:38.970 Jeremy Wilcox: So the school itself was established in downtown brooklyn on livingston street in the 1850s moved to Decker heights.

00:26:39.480 --> 00:26:49.860 Jeremy Wilcox: right around World War one with the campus being open to the public in 1917 on a part of land that they used to belong to the darker heights golf course that was given to the school.

00:26:51.690 --> 00:26:52.680 Jeff Goodman: And it's still there today.

00:26:53.190 --> 00:26:57.030 Jeremy Wilcox: Yes, absolutely just on the sort of West end of where the golf course and park is.

00:26:58.050 --> 00:27:07.200 Jeff Goodman: And JEREMY, of course, we can talk about tiger hiatt's without speaking about something that it's famously known for and that are it's Christmas lights.

00:27:08.340 --> 00:27:15.300 Jeff Goodman: they've been known as the undisputed capital of Christmas pageantry and alternatively is the King of Christmas lights and.

00:27:15.990 --> 00:27:29.580 Jeff Goodman: I imagine also that some of the stockholders of kindness and really appreciate the Christmas displays you want to talk about that how they got started, what is it about this this extravaganza that makes it really unique, certainly in New York City.

00:27:30.330 --> 00:27:43.710 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah it's really in the United States, probably the most unique residential Christmas display um you mentioned con add you know some residents apparently has legend saved spend between five to $8,000 on the monthly electric costs for those homes.

00:27:44.490 --> 00:27:51.360 Jeremy Wilcox: But according to legend the diaper heights Christmas tradition started on 84 street with Lucy spots US House.

00:27:52.230 --> 00:28:00.720 Jeremy Wilcox: And that house, by the way, still really be go to spot see every Christmas and she just would go really overboard with the Christmas decorations lights and things like that.

00:28:01.140 --> 00:28:11.970 Jeremy Wilcox: And at first, the neighbors really hated it when they saw it as a bit over the top, and they complain like hey next year, you know, can you think you can maybe dial it back and she was like okay.

00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:23.940 Jeremy Wilcox: And then, so the next year, she just added more and kind of you know, we were like oh my gosh and then she starts started adding more, and it really kind of became her own thing and then a few of her neighbors on 84 street, including the Polish auto family.

00:28:24.270 --> 00:28:33.360 Jeremy Wilcox: Who are now gone from that street unfortunately started sort of competing with her and adding their own pageantry and then it became a case of well if you can't beat them join them.

00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:42.120 Jeremy Wilcox: And so people began kind of creating these elaborate Christmas decorations you know if you can Google pictures of them and really see for yourself.

00:28:42.450 --> 00:28:49.800 Jeremy Wilcox: And it got so out of control that you know, while families, like the spotters still do it themselves nowadays, you have private companies.

00:28:50.340 --> 00:29:03.270 Jeremy Wilcox: Like be an ar and magglio who people hire and spend thousands of dollars to store and decorate their homes, every year, I mean it's it's really unbelievable the pageantry of it it's it's you know, become a major tourist attraction.

00:29:04.320 --> 00:29:17.370 Jeremy Wilcox: it's obviously wasn't the case last year, but on a typical year before coven you would have on any given night, you know, a couple dozen tour buses dropping tourists off along the golf course so they can go and wander and see all these amazing lights wow.

00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:24.390 Jeff Goodman: Do you have a sense about how this display every every Christmas adds to the sense of community and Decker heights.

00:29:25.230 --> 00:29:31.980 Jeremy Wilcox: yeah you know if you talk to the spotter family, you know Lucy spots whole thing is, you know she never really thought is over the top in a bad way anyway.

00:29:32.310 --> 00:29:37.260 Jeremy Wilcox: You know she said this gets people into the Christmas spirit, you know it's it's fun to decorate like this.

00:29:37.650 --> 00:29:51.990 Jeremy Wilcox: i'm in recent years there obviously has been some controversy, you know a lot of the people still continue to decorate elaborate Lee and they they like it, you know they like to show off one their beautiful homes, but the really unique decorations and every houses one of a kind.

00:29:53.040 --> 00:29:59.220 Jeremy Wilcox: But then there's some people who obviously the downside is you know when you have over the month of December over 100,000.

00:29:59.670 --> 00:30:08.490 Jeremy Wilcox: You know, tourists visiting your neighborhood it does create problems you didn't anticipate traffic litter just you know the.

00:30:09.330 --> 00:30:18.630 Jeremy Wilcox: Human traffic of the neighborhood, but I would say, overall, most people still seem to like it, but it, you know, has become controversial amongst some residents in recent years.

00:30:19.560 --> 00:30:28.170 Jeff Goodman: Well, on a personal note, one of my fondest memories starting Christmas on Christmas Eve, my father would always drive us out to my grandmother in New Jersey and we lived in sheepshead bay.

00:30:28.650 --> 00:30:42.360 Jeff Goodman: And so we would get off the bell parkway and taking some Christmas lights before proceeding through the battery tunnel on the West side highway then until the Lincoln tunnel in New Jersey, I still have those fun memories of it, Jeremy.

00:30:43.170 --> 00:30:50.280 Jeremy Wilcox: Had that I would you know, even if you've heard about the crowds don't get turned off, it is still today, one of my favorite Christmas traditions in New York City.

00:30:51.810 --> 00:30:54.660 Jeff Goodman: And I didn't know that you can go on tour buses, to do with the well.

00:30:56.490 --> 00:30:57.000 Jeremy Wilcox: I already.

00:30:58.080 --> 00:30:58.290 Jeremy Wilcox: know.

00:30:59.430 --> 00:31:09.810 Jeff Goodman: All depends, how much you want to you want to say, Jeremy wilcox of custom nyc towards Thank you so much for starting us off on this episode on diaper heights and brooklyn.

00:31:10.200 --> 00:31:20.400 Jeff Goodman: we're gonna take a short break and when we come back we're going to speak with someone who was from tiger heights who returned to the neighborhood to open up a business will be back after a short break.

00:33:51.120 --> 00:33:59.760 Jeff Goodman: we're back and you're back to rediscovering New York support from the program comes from our sponsors Christopher Pappas working specialist at TD bank.

00:34:00.300 --> 00:34:10.200 Jeff Goodman: To find out how Chris can help you with all your residential home mortgage needs and tailor a mortgage that's right for you please give them a call at 203-512-3918.

00:34:11.040 --> 00:34:17.880 Jeff Goodman: and support also comes from the law offices of Thomas the aca focusing on wheels estate planning probate and inheritance litigation.

00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:30.210 Jeff Goodman: Tom and his staff can be reached at 212-495-0317 you can like this show on Facebook and you can also follow me on instagram and Twitter my handles on all three are Jeff Goodman nyc.

00:34:30.780 --> 00:34:37.860 Jeff Goodman: If you have comments or questions about the show or would like to get our mailing list, please email me Jeff at rediscovering New York dot nyc.

00:34:38.640 --> 00:34:43.470 Jeff Goodman: One of the note before we get to our second guest, even though rediscovering New York is not sure about real estate.

00:34:43.830 --> 00:34:49.620 Jeff Goodman: When i'm not on the air, I am D to real estate agent now amazing city where I help my clients buy sale lease and rent property.

00:34:50.160 --> 00:35:01.290 Jeff Goodman: If you or someone you care about is considering a move into our within New York I would love to help you with all those real estate needs, you can reach me and my team at 646-306-4761.

00:35:01.980 --> 00:35:10.500 Jeff Goodman: Before we get to our second guest, I also have to give a shout out to someone in the industry, Christine Bernanke I frequently don't accolade competitors, but.

00:35:11.070 --> 00:35:20.460 Jeff Goodman: I love Chris Chris lives in micro heights and it's because of Chris that we have our second guest here tonight, so thank you so much, Chris and our second guest is Alfred.

00:35:21.930 --> 00:35:31.290 Jeff Goodman: Alfred was born in brooklyn what used to be the Caledonian hospital in Fort Greene his family, he and his family first lived on 75th street and 11th avenue in jaipur heights.

00:35:31.980 --> 00:35:43.290 Jeff Goodman: few years later, they move to sunset park and then family, which was large spread all over brooklyn from micro heights bensonhurst to sunset park park slope and Bay Ridge brooklyn story.

00:35:44.430 --> 00:35:53.370 Jeff Goodman: As immigrants, the family did what they knew best they own restaurants selamat at us for those who don't know what that is that's a store where, among other things, you can get salami.

00:35:53.940 --> 00:36:05.880 Jeff Goodman: A well known master tailor and even an Italian ice factory and the family geno's by the late 80s alfred's mom's family moved to Howard beach, but his dad's family stayed in brooklyn.

00:36:06.540 --> 00:36:12.180 Jeff Goodman: This was the connection that brought him back to darker heights after opening their first level a restaurant and Howard beach.

00:36:12.720 --> 00:36:26.010 Jeff Goodman: First, to mill basin then park slope and eventually full circle to darker heights where he now owns and operates love Vila restaurant, which is on at six street in biker heights Alfred disappear, a hearty welcome to rediscovering New York.

00:36:26.190 --> 00:36:27.990 Alfred DiScipio: Thank you, thank you for having me.

00:36:28.710 --> 00:36:34.380 Jeff Goodman: Am I gotta ask you this because I have we have similar family history what parts of Italy is your family originally from.

00:36:34.860 --> 00:36:45.750 Alfred DiScipio: So my mom's from solid know South Naples, my father is from the brutes or region suck up to Scott directly across from raw great reasons.

00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:49.230 Jeff Goodman: And when did your family first come to the United States.

00:36:49.590 --> 00:37:10.380 Alfred DiScipio: So my mom's uncle, which is actually probably the first that resided in 20th and in tiger actually and I it's funny i'm on ancestry COM and I love so much information comes World War one draft cards, they were original glaciers when they came in, so they did a lot of.

00:37:11.400 --> 00:37:23.340 Alfred DiScipio: Work and the churches are restoring the stained glass windows and windows for the homes you didn't have Anderson capella back then they made the actual in those frames at all.

00:37:23.820 --> 00:37:35.610 Jeff Goodman: i'm with my ancestors from Italy came to the States and came to New York First they lived in little Italy, then they moved to brooklyn but your uncle started his American life out in tiger heights that's great.

00:37:36.930 --> 00:37:46.380 Jeff Goodman: I want to ask you a question about family history Italian ICES are pretty famous and some of us older new Yorkers remember geno's Italian ICES really well when was that business first started.

00:37:47.130 --> 00:37:48.870 Alfred DiScipio: He started, I think.

00:37:50.400 --> 00:38:04.890 Alfred DiScipio: They we had a cousin the family, my mom's cousin that was here before us, so my mom and my father, they came in the 50s mid 50s and then my mom came your neck and 58 so her cousins were here a little early and he.

00:38:05.370 --> 00:38:13.920 Alfred DiScipio: This guy did everything he actually invented the pizza press the one that's you'll you'll see in the fast food pizzerias the presses the dough that.

00:38:14.190 --> 00:38:18.150 Alfred DiScipio: So he was he was like one of those guys that so smart was maybe too smart.

00:38:18.510 --> 00:38:26.880 Alfred DiScipio: But he started and push my uncle to make it, because they would make it in the House like I remember back in the day, they would bring fresh snow inside and put.

00:38:27.270 --> 00:38:40.650 Alfred DiScipio: Fruit Juice on it, you know that's basically something done all over Italy but I 62 I think they finally open the doors and actually build a factory on 39th street in brooklyn New York avenue randell.

00:38:42.870 --> 00:38:55.560 Jeff Goodman: And we talked a little bit before airtime about our common history of working in the family's factories in the neighborhood my dad and his brothers own that electronics business in boro park on on the 16th street.

00:38:56.160 --> 00:38:57.870 Jeff Goodman: You worked in the family business too, and in that.

00:38:57.870 --> 00:38:58.650 Jeff Goodman: factory didn't you.

00:38:58.830 --> 00:39:07.710 Alfred DiScipio: Oh yeah yeah right well, a lot of summers a lot of great memories hard work when they you know they were they were they had a great business because back in the day.

00:39:08.070 --> 00:39:16.170 Alfred DiScipio: Everyone in brooklyn side of missteps in the summer, no one had air conditioning, if you had a mission, you probably in the wealthy part of brooklyn which we didn't include to be brooklyn right.

00:39:16.560 --> 00:39:28.680 Alfred DiScipio: Right, and so a lot of stoop hanging out at night and cooling off and they sold a lot of ice is where we call gelato right but it's it's water based stuff and it was with some really good products they had for many years.

00:39:29.850 --> 00:39:31.230 Jeff Goodman: cold sweet and wet.

00:39:33.450 --> 00:39:37.710 Jeff Goodman: When did you decide that you would go into the food service business.

00:39:38.130 --> 00:39:46.590 Alfred DiScipio: So my mother's brother gina who he actually opened the restaurant because of his cousin in Bay Ridge his first restaurant was in brooklyn.

00:39:46.980 --> 00:39:56.850 Alfred DiScipio: Somehow know videos they all ended up opening places in La now so everyone left brooklyn So when I opened up my park slope location, he was so happy.

00:39:57.300 --> 00:40:03.810 Alfred DiScipio: Because it was on fifth avenue, and I remember my mom when they live in sunset park which shop on fifth avenue because.

00:40:04.080 --> 00:40:13.290 Alfred DiScipio: She had a Python who own the butcher shop His name was vinny vinny the butcher for them right across the street, from where my restaurant was and I didn't realize that because I was a kid.

00:40:13.740 --> 00:40:23.220 Alfred DiScipio: So when my my uncle came to visit me when I was opening he was so happy, he said when he ran away from brooklyn, the only thing they had was the tiny nice factor, so he was so happy that we.

00:40:23.610 --> 00:40:29.910 Alfred DiScipio: I came back and go into another neighborhood in long island and and try to compete against family member, you know so.

00:40:30.240 --> 00:40:33.750 Jeff Goodman: uh huh was was your first business in the slope and park so.

00:40:34.230 --> 00:40:38.730 Alfred DiScipio: My first store open and Howard beach, and then the second was mill basin.

00:40:39.750 --> 00:40:44.250 Alfred DiScipio: And then, then pottsville came third and atika last recent most recent.

00:40:44.760 --> 00:40:48.570 Jeff Goodman: When did you decide that you would open up the restaurant and tiger heights.

00:40:49.500 --> 00:40:55.440 Alfred DiScipio: it's funny because I have friends that still live in deca from my college days and.

00:40:56.520 --> 00:41:06.990 Alfred DiScipio: I never thought of data and the mill basin store and the how each location runs as a family or own supermarkets Del Monte family they don't really great super walk and say.

00:41:07.380 --> 00:41:11.700 Alfred DiScipio: It started with key food and end up opening and have a beach a food emporium which that name was.

00:41:12.090 --> 00:41:20.220 Alfred DiScipio: was lost a little bit in New York for more higher end supermarket and they said listen, we have we just bought the shopping Center we had the supermarket there.

00:41:20.790 --> 00:41:31.680 Alfred DiScipio: And we need a great place, can you open, can you open next as a small place now it's empty, and I said, let me look at it and I was like wow this is really back in the neighborhood you know it's it's.

00:41:32.280 --> 00:41:41.010 Alfred DiScipio: felt good you know because everyone's all bring running to all the hip places in williamsburg and we open the box open in dumbo.

00:41:41.640 --> 00:41:53.010 Alfred DiScipio: But to go back into the neighborhood it's always a little risky, but you know what it's it's still enabled it's like like talking about the Christmas lights, which by the way, don't go on weekends you'll you'll avoid all the lines.

00:41:54.060 --> 00:42:02.280 Alfred DiScipio: You go Monday through Thursday, but on the home suspect tackle the neighborhood people everyone thinks all the whole neighborhood change and it's gone.

00:42:02.700 --> 00:42:08.310 Alfred DiScipio: Of course, a change it's brooklyn neighborhoods change, but the neighborhood I saw drive around it is solid.

00:42:08.820 --> 00:42:15.180 Alfred DiScipio: And it's funny because it became was Italian I didn't know before the times what what every.

00:42:15.630 --> 00:42:23.940 Alfred DiScipio: Immigrant that came in and stop them brooklyn so it's still very tight, it is very Asian is lot of Chinese but they've been there for 20 something years.

00:42:24.240 --> 00:42:34.110 Alfred DiScipio: And now it's funny because i'm starting to see hipsters like you start to see I guess it's it's more livable it's you have a pocket of a golf course you're close of trains and.

00:42:34.620 --> 00:42:44.160 Alfred DiScipio: it's a lot cheaper than getting a little apartment in and like I mean in park slope or in brooklyn heights so it's more family oriented.

00:42:44.820 --> 00:42:47.520 Jeff Goodman: I think our friend Chris bianca must have started the hipster trend.

00:42:51.120 --> 00:43:02.220 Jeff Goodman: So what did you feel like to open a restaurant in the neighborhood where you grew up that you had so much family history in and that you moved away from but came back to to.

00:43:02.490 --> 00:43:04.020 Jeff Goodman: Some pauses Community there.

00:43:04.410 --> 00:43:17.760 Alfred DiScipio: I was young, when we lived in tiger, and it was actually not 75 or 77 and 11 but I remember when I worked to my uncle he his good friend, had a beautiful house on the 11th and 85th the corner most homes are so big.

00:43:18.300 --> 00:43:31.200 Alfred DiScipio: When I went there and I saw that house, I was blown away and he had had ma ma variety of fry which I was, I was a teenager was born was just beyond I didn't even realize, we were in brooklyn because the homes are so different.

00:43:31.710 --> 00:43:39.420 Alfred DiScipio: Like I, like my mother was from Carroll gardens in brownstones a spectacular but there's something about those homes and data heights where you say when.

00:43:39.780 --> 00:43:45.000 Alfred DiScipio: JEREMY was saying about the architecture and the original homes there it's so different.

00:43:45.510 --> 00:44:02.880 Alfred DiScipio: So you do have those blocks, with a spectacular, but then this you know, not as a regular homes but it's just a great neighborhood you know, surrounded by bensonhurst my cousins or or from the illuminati on 1817 hga for forever Franklin cells so to me it felt like.

00:44:04.500 --> 00:44:12.600 Alfred DiScipio: I didn't go somewhere new somewhere like that I should have been in the beginning it was it was comfortable you know it was known.

00:44:13.170 --> 00:44:27.270 Alfred DiScipio: It wasn't it wasn't an experiment say opening up from scratch, it was more like you know you have so many unknowns when you open a new business it felt a little more familiar, I can say for lack of a better expression.

00:44:28.290 --> 00:44:29.310 Jeff Goodman: was like coming back home.

00:44:29.760 --> 00:44:30.720 Alfred DiScipio: Basically yeah.

00:44:32.730 --> 00:44:42.210 Jeff Goodman: we're gonna take a short break and when we come back we're going to continue our conversation with Alfred Alfred is the owner of love eula restaurant which do you pronounce it lovey lovey.

00:44:42.840 --> 00:44:49.290 Alfred DiScipio: lovey law is the proper pronunciation an Italian but love Villa is the American version.

00:44:49.920 --> 00:44:50.400 Okay.

00:44:51.930 --> 00:44:58.380 Jeff Goodman: I have relatives in Italy, I should know yeah but anyway uh well okay we're gonna take a short break and we'll be back in a moment, thanks.

00:47:28.080 --> 00:47:42.240 Jeff Goodman: we're back this episode 122 every discovering New York and our program on deck or heights in brooklyn my second guest is Alfred disappear Alfred is the owner of the restaurant on 86 street in brooklyn and tiger heights.

00:47:43.380 --> 00:48:00.180 Jeff Goodman: After we talked about going home and opening up a business at home let's talk about the vibe of the neighborhood that you went hook to that you went home to describe the vibe of the darker heights that you that that you love, what is it about the place that that really inspires you.

00:48:00.630 --> 00:48:11.670 Alfred DiScipio: You you know it has it has bensonhurst and have graves and on the other side it borders for Hamilton and and beverage so it's kind of like.

00:48:12.390 --> 00:48:25.590 Alfred DiScipio: The same Center but it's so it's it's it's just a little different from each other, other neighborhood but it's it's very similar so and you have a lot of young you see a lot in young.

00:48:27.600 --> 00:48:33.660 Alfred DiScipio: I say kids but you don't it's the neighborhood factor is still there.

00:48:34.290 --> 00:48:40.980 Alfred DiScipio: Like when you're when you're in park slope like there's a lot of families moving in and out and you see a lot of the old brownstones being converted back to one family.

00:48:41.460 --> 00:48:52.290 Alfred DiScipio: starting to see the families come back with kids that are not renting that they're putting their roots that I see more of that in tiger is more roots being on people have their.

00:48:52.860 --> 00:48:57.840 Alfred DiScipio: Long term were originally when we open pops up you saw the old neighborhood people leaving.

00:48:58.380 --> 00:49:09.390 Alfred DiScipio: and selling their brownstones where I see them coming back like impossible, but die cuz I think is always been that way it's been you go to die can move they're not for a year.

00:49:09.840 --> 00:49:19.590 Alfred DiScipio: you're not you're not going to transition and change your apartment you moving that you're there 10 1520 years you put the routes that it's definitely a real neighborhood.

00:49:20.220 --> 00:49:22.410 Jeff Goodman: When did you open up the restaurant and diagrams.

00:49:22.950 --> 00:49:25.650 Alfred DiScipio: We open in 2017 okay.

00:49:25.830 --> 00:49:30.090 Jeff Goodman: So it's not that long to have seen any any changes in the neighborhood.

00:49:30.330 --> 00:49:36.450 Alfred DiScipio: No, but you know what we did, because we started construction say in early 2016.

00:49:37.020 --> 00:49:41.040 Alfred DiScipio: And slight changes not big but like I said and see the hipsters.

00:49:41.370 --> 00:49:53.670 Alfred DiScipio: coming in, because let's face it, you know you can get more for your money in that neighborhood and you have a lot of access, you know you have a pocket as well, your golf course you're close to getting on the highway it's different so um.

00:49:54.150 --> 00:50:02.670 Alfred DiScipio: You see, the changes, but you know it's it's it's not where you see the changes that I saw in park slope in the past with the real estate boom.

00:50:03.090 --> 00:50:12.570 Alfred DiScipio: big changes, but the people coming in, I mean what are you going to buy in Manhattan for 3 million, but you can almost by almost by a townhouse and so for 3 million it's going to be a renovation it's different.

00:50:13.320 --> 00:50:17.610 Jeff Goodman: Why, I lived in the slope in the 90s, and it was undergoing to change, then, and you did see some of the.

00:50:17.610 --> 00:50:20.160 Jeff Goodman: Older families who were starting to sell and move.

00:50:22.590 --> 00:50:30.930 Jeff Goodman: Do you know if if almost all your customers come from Decker heights or do you would you notice that people who come from other places, other neighborhoods.

00:50:31.350 --> 00:50:39.660 Alfred DiScipio: I see in a daytime you'll see regulars and I have customers it's funny because customers that would come to the park slope.

00:50:39.960 --> 00:50:48.060 Alfred DiScipio: I thought lived in plug so we found when we first opened at all you're opening up in my neighborhood we have one of our great neighbors and customers.

00:50:48.540 --> 00:50:54.900 Alfred DiScipio: kind in my Castle great guy he was impossible, I thought that pops up, it was like, for my wife's they would count on.

00:50:55.470 --> 00:51:13.800 Alfred DiScipio: me while he lives three blocks in the store and we see a lot of that you know so long they transition, you know, but in the daytime it's some it's a busy street a sixth street so you get guys either workers from the area, the dealership or just driving down in sixth street where.

00:51:15.330 --> 00:51:23.460 Jeff Goodman: I think you've had the business day for four years, is there anything that has taken you a little bit by surprise moving your business back to the old neighborhood.

00:51:24.600 --> 00:51:25.380 Alfred DiScipio: um.

00:51:26.970 --> 00:51:31.980 Alfred DiScipio: no surprises like i'm doing the whole corporate thing.

00:51:33.000 --> 00:51:37.080 Alfred DiScipio: I was a little nervous for the store, because it was still new you know but.

00:51:38.310 --> 00:51:47.610 Alfred DiScipio: it's like I said, it is really a solid neighborhood, it is a traditional neighborhood with the aspects that it's changing slightly, but you know, the more things.

00:51:48.750 --> 00:51:57.870 Alfred DiScipio: Change, the more they stay the same, you know it kind of looks like it's coming back because there's Actually, I have a couple customers new ones that have moved back to the neighbor that.

00:51:58.110 --> 00:52:05.670 Alfred DiScipio: Were there when they were the teens and 20s and moved away the move to Jersey and now the kids are grown up and then moving backwards.

00:52:06.090 --> 00:52:16.890 Alfred DiScipio: yeah it's, it is a really pretty name and, if you want a little more property, you can afford some of those spectacular homes something to be said about those were the Christmas lights aren't they beautiful.

00:52:17.070 --> 00:52:20.130 Jeff Goodman: Yes, especially if you can get the Christmas lights up.

00:52:21.180 --> 00:52:25.020 Jeff Goodman: I wonder if you can buy them from the people who had if it comes with the if it comes with.

00:52:26.130 --> 00:52:29.010 Jeff Goodman: With the property, I have to talk about that and see if it's part of.

00:52:29.550 --> 00:52:29.970 Jeff Goodman: The sale.

00:52:30.240 --> 00:52:31.440 Alfred DiScipio: Christine could throw that in.

00:52:33.180 --> 00:52:38.520 Jeff Goodman: As a business owner is there anything you find challenging about about running a business and behind Salford.

00:52:39.900 --> 00:52:47.640 Alfred DiScipio: um well my industry itself has been challenging besides covert it's been new york's is tough place for restaurants.

00:52:49.740 --> 00:53:00.540 Alfred DiScipio: But because you get more stability when you're in a neighborhood versus saying in Manhattan besides what happened with cold in them and have restaurants got really, really hurt.

00:53:00.960 --> 00:53:14.640 Alfred DiScipio: You have stability and where people living and in single family homes and you have residential apartments it's different yeah it's not rolling the dice as much if you open properly, you know.

00:53:15.480 --> 00:53:22.290 Alfred DiScipio: it's hard it's hard to explain like Mike my business has changed so much, but it is already a difficult business but.

00:53:22.950 --> 00:53:28.830 Alfred DiScipio: I don't think he has all you should open them in Hatton no I love Manhattan I think it's, the greatest city in the world.

00:53:29.700 --> 00:53:39.510 Alfred DiScipio: But it's a tough city to do any kind of business, not just restaurant and for restaurants, you can drive down any avenue and see how many restaurants and every block besides your competition.

00:53:40.020 --> 00:53:53.190 Alfred DiScipio: The the factors that have changed the business so to me, I was always you can see, all my stores our neighborhoods there there's three more song yeah you have more stability and more consistency for restaurants and point.

00:53:54.570 --> 00:54:00.150 Jeff Goodman: As a business owner is there anything that you wish were in diaper heights that isn't there, right now, maybe to give.

00:54:01.440 --> 00:54:04.650 Jeff Goodman: A potential business owner in the neighborhood an idea that's something they can do.

00:54:05.370 --> 00:54:17.430 Alfred DiScipio: i'm the only the only thing I feel, are you know opening it pops up kind of put me on the map, I feel like those parts of brooklyn.

00:54:18.120 --> 00:54:26.790 Alfred DiScipio: park slope brooklyn heights dumbo williamsburg they're always talking about the restaurants, they always go to compare the restaurants in those neighborhoods versus Manhattan.

00:54:27.360 --> 00:54:44.190 Alfred DiScipio: But the businesses Sade Bay Ridge and diaper in mill basin they get pushed aside and Howard beach mcqueen's network they're not as popular or famous and so that's the issue, so you really have to do something solid to get noticed.

00:54:45.270 --> 00:54:52.380 Jeff Goodman: um one last question before we go do you see yourself opening up another business in in Decker someday.

00:54:52.500 --> 00:54:58.470 Alfred DiScipio: I know i'm be competing against myself that's, the only thing, though, is cooking pizza.

00:54:59.160 --> 00:55:00.600 Jeff Goodman: Oh, we want you to compete against.

00:55:01.290 --> 00:55:03.630 Alfred DiScipio: My dancing skills, maybe some sort of dance studios.

00:55:05.580 --> 00:55:09.210 Jeff Goodman: Well Saturday night fever was filming the next neighbor it over so.

00:55:10.410 --> 00:55:16.200 Jeff Goodman: Maybe someday Alfred disappear oh Thank you so much for joining us on on our on our first.

00:55:16.710 --> 00:55:17.760 Alfred DiScipio: jeremy's a.

00:55:19.110 --> 00:55:20.940 Alfred DiScipio: history of brooklyn pretty well.

00:55:22.590 --> 00:55:28.710 Jeff Goodman: We have just finished this visit to darker heights in brooklyn our guests with JEREMY wilcox from custom nyc tours.

00:55:29.220 --> 00:55:39.000 Jeff Goodman: And Alfred disappear from louisville the restaurant on at six street if you have comments or questions about the show if you'd like to get our mailing list, please email me Jeff if we discovering New York at nyc.

00:55:39.540 --> 00:55:44.340 Jeff Goodman: You can like us on Facebook and also follow me on instagram and Twitter my handle is there a Jeff Goodman nyc.

00:55:44.910 --> 00:55:49.620 Jeff Goodman: Once again i'd like to thank our sponsors for this evening, Chris Pappas mortgage banker TD bank.

00:55:50.100 --> 00:55:55.560 Jeff Goodman: And the law offices of Tom sciatica focusing on wheels estate planning probate and inheritance litigation.

00:55:56.040 --> 00:56:04.080 Jeff Goodman: One more thing, before we sign off i'm just Goodman a real estate agent or brown Harris Stevens in New York City, by the way, I forgot to mention that Christine barranca is with compass, I have to.

00:56:04.500 --> 00:56:12.570 Jeff Goodman: acknowledge her and thank you again for getting Alfred on the show and whether you're selling buying leasing or renting my team and I provide the best service and expertise in New York City real estate.

00:56:13.110 --> 00:56:24.000 Jeff Goodman: To help you, with your real estate needs, you can reach us at 646-306-4761 our producer Israel story or our engineer this evening is the great Emily showman.

00:56:24.960 --> 00:56:40.770 Jeff Goodman: Our production assistant is Eric Nelson our special consultant for the program is David Griffin of landmark branding stay tuned for coffee talk XL with Kevin Barbara right here on talk radio dot nyc thanks for listening, everyone will see you next time.