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Taylor Street Archives
www.taylorstreetarchives.com
Tirtilli’s (Solly’s) Tavern
From: Camardo, Eleanor
RE: Archives’ Stories
Dear Mark and Vince:
It would be sacrilegious if I did not express those happy good
years. I am not the writer you are so please edit as you see
fit. No hard feelings because I trust your journalism.
Eliminate or add, I will understand. If not this edition maybe
you can print it in the future issues.
Another social meeting place that should be mentioned for
our Taylor Street Archives would beTiritilli's Tavern (Solly's)
at 1435 W Taylor St. Today it would be a Sports Bar. How
dignified compared to "Solly's Tavern". Actually it was more
like Cheers. Solly's was a much better place. Besides having
card games and mora games, a volunteer chef was always
ready to make spicy meals like snails, sausage or meatball
gravy. It also served as the neighborhood’s posting station.
Family members were always able to contact or leave a
message to anyone in the place whenever necessary. He,
Solly, would receive the neighbors packages (imagine
Christmas time), certified letters and even checks when
neighbors were not home. Even the kids would go to Solly's if
they needed help or were stranded until the parents got
home from work. No cell phones then. Solly knew his
friends and neighbors (customers) and they knew him as one
would know their own blood family. Newborns, weddings,
graduations, deaths or what ever--(good news or bad) -- you
heard it first at Solly's.
We were in great need during the 60's when I had to have
transportation to go back and forth to St. Luke's Hospital.
All I had to do was call the tavern for a ride and they were in
front of my house to take my son and me to the
hospital…and then back home again. I never knew who
would be at my door. Most of the time it would be Hot Dog,
JB (Mike or John Fiore), Butch (Papaleo) or Gino LaBalarte.
This is the brotherhood Taylor Street was. It's over 22 years
when Solly was forced to shut down due to poor health and
you can rest assured that a day does not go by when the old
timers sitting at the Conte di Savoa have not mentioned
Solly's. I bet they still know the phone number. In memory
of all the departed loved ones who have given us these
unforgettable memories, I pray somewhere in time our
children will inherit a bit of the camaraderie my husband,
children I have been blessed with here on Taylor Street.
Eleanor Camardo
Eleanor,
This is beautiful piece of writing. It brings to life one of the
treasures that was Taylor Street.