New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Libby’s Italian Pastry Shop celebrates 100 years on Wooster Street
NEW HAVEN — The term “iconic” gets bounced around a lot, but consider this: even the famed apizza joints that have put New Haven on the culinary map — including the two most famous ones on Wooster Street — aren’t yet 100 years old.
But Libby’s Italian Pastry Shop, located next-door to Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana and down the street from Sally’s Apizza, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Libby’s has been treating New Haveners to fresh cannoli, anginettes and lemon ice at 139 Wooster St. since Liberato and Giuseppina Dell’Amura opened in 1922, a full three years before Frank Pepe opened his doors.
Which explains why Mayor Justin Elicker, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, Alder Anna Festa, D-10, a host of other city and business officials, three or four TV cameras and a few reporters and photographers all gathered in front of Libby’s for a ribboncutting ceremony Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s one of those businesses that, due to its reputation, put New Haven on the map,” said Carlos Eyzaguirre, the city’s deputy economic development administrator and a former Wooster Square resident who said Libby’s is a place that deserves to be called “iconic.”
For generations, Greater New Haven families have been marking “birthdays, deaths, first communions — so many celebrations — with Libby’s on the table,” Eyzaguirre said.
“This is awesome!” said Elicker, who bought a bunch of cookies to go before he left — but not until after he presented Libby’s third- and fourth-generation owners with a proclamation in honor of the milestone. “It’s awesome to see so much vibrancy in the city of New Haven.”
Elicker called Libby’s “a stop for so many people in this community.”
“We’re grateful that you’ve been part of our community for 100 years,” he said. “We’re looking forward to 100 more.”
Libby’s fourth-generation co-owner Marc D’Angelo, 40, with his brothers Salvatore D’Angelo, 44, and Paul “PJ” D’Angelo, 38, took over ownership earlier this year from aunts Jo-Ann and
Dolores Dell’Amura and Leona Delcore. Their mother, Marie D’Angelo, died in 2008.
“We’re really excited about keeping the tradition going for the fourth generation,” Marc D’Angelo said. He was joined by his father, Antonio D’Angelo, among others.
Libby’s sported a new facade for the occasion — fixed up with a $41,951 grant obtained through the city’s Facade Improvement Grant Program — including a new storefront entrance (door and windows), refurbished signage and the reconstruction of the upper patio.
“We basically worked with the city to renovate the outside area” and “they were able to give us back half of what we put up,” Marc D’Angelo said.
DeLauro, who grew up on Wooster Street — and said her grandmother also owned a pastry shop, Canestri’s Pastry Shop, a few doors down where Consiglio’s Restaurant is now — said “it brings a lot of emotion” to join Libby’s for the celebration.
“This is home. This is home base,” DeLauro said. “... This is my life. This is where I grew up.”
While DeLauro’s grandmother and the Dell’Amuras both owned pastry shops, “they didn’t compete,” she said. “They cooperated.”
She recalled going to the old Libby’s, which was across Wooster Street, to get lemon ice in a paper cup.
DeLauro presented the family with a Congressional Record statement honoring Libby’s on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
Garrett Sheehan, president of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Libby’s on the milestone.
East Rock Alder Festa, who was filling in for Wooster Square Alder Ellen Cupo, D-8, who recently returned to work after pregnancy leave and could not get out, said that “as a proud Italian American I couldn’t be prouder of Libby’s,” which she said has pursued “100 years of dreams.”
“They came to this country with that suitcase full of dreams — and they succeeded,” Festa said.
Inside, after all the speeches, third-generation owner Antonio D’Angelo, 74, who has worked in the business for 48 years, said, “We’re very honored. Right now, I’m very grateful that my sons have decided to carry on.”
Marie D’Angelo’s grandparents founded Libby’s and Antonio D’Angelo said his father-in-law moved it across Wooster Street in 1967 and opened Libby’s European-style cafe in 1974.
During all the time Libby’s has been open, however, one thing hasn’t changed.
“We’ve been making it the same way for 100 years,” Antonio D’Angelo said.