Peter's Delicatessen: 25 Madison Street

Peter's Delicatessen is featured in Storefront: The Disappearing Face of New York, by Photographers James and Karla Murray. The store is owned and run by Peter Migliorini, who took over from his father, also named Peter. I asked Joe Bruno if he knew Peter since he and Peter, as well as their families, were long time fixtures in the neighborhood and were about the same age. Sure enough.....
IN THE WINTER (FEBRUARY) OF 1969 I WAS WALKING WITH MY FATHER DURING A HUGE SNOWSTORM. IT WAS ABOUT 1AM ON OLIVER STREET. THE STREETS WERE DESERTED. SUDDENLY MY FATHER SLIPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF MARINER'S TEMPLE AND BROKE HIS LEG BADLY. WE NEEDED HELP BUT I COULDN'T BARE TO LEAVE MY HELPLESS FATHER IN THE FREEZING COLD. AS TIME PASSED I TRIED STOPPING THE OCCASIONAL PERSON WHO CAME ALONG, BUT NONE WOULD HELP ME. I WAS FRANTIC. THEN PETER CAME TRUDGING DOWN THE BLOCK. HE WAS ABOUT A YEAR YOUNGER THAN ME. I BARELY KNEW HIM. I NEVER SHOPPED AT MIGLIORINI'S BECAUSE WE HAD TWO GROCERY STORES ON MONROE STREET. HE STOPPED AND RUSHED TO GET HELP. TEN MINUTES LATER AN AMBULANCE ARRIVED, BUT THE SNOW WAS SO DEEP THAT IT COULDN'T GET DOWN OLIVER STREET. THE ATTENDANTS LEFT IT ON THE CORNER OF JAMES AND CHATHAM SQUARE AND HAD TO WALK QUITE A DISTANCE TO MAKE A DIFFICULT RETRIEVAL OF MY FATHER BY STRETCHER. THE LEG WAS BROKEN SO BADLY THAT MY FATHER LIMPED FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. IF IT WEREN'T FOR PETER MIGLIORINI MY FATHER MIGHT HAVE FROZEN TO DEATH THAT NIGHT.