FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 43
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‘It hurts my heart to see them go’
After 70 years in Astoria, Riccardo’s by the Bridge permanently closes due to COVID-19
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
aacevedo@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Melanie Murillo created many memories
throughout the years at Riccardo’s
by the Bridge — a beloved restaurant and
event venue in Astoria — but her fondest
was her wedding day.
“You guys treated us just like family,”
Murillo wrote in a comment under the
restaurant’s Facebook post announcing it
will be closing permanently. “You put us
at ease and took off all the stress and we
were so thankful. We will never ever forget
you all!”
Aft er nearly 70 years of serving the
Astoria community, Riccardo’s by the
Bridge announced the closure on Sept.
1, due to the operational impacts of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
“Th is decision has been extremely diffi
cult to make, and is solely due to the
various impacts of the COVID pandemic;
if it were up to us we would cater
your special events forever,” Anthony
Corbisiero, president of Riccardo’s, wrote
in an open letter. “But aft er reviewing all
options and weighing all known factors,
there is simply no realistic path forward
given all of the unknowns: when we
might reopen and, even then, the anticipated
city, state and federal restrictions
that will most defi nitely be placed on
such a reopening.”
Murillo told QNS the closure is a “huge
loss” for Queens and the whole city.
“It hurts my heart to see them go,” she
said. “Th ere will never be another like it
or the people who ran it with such love.”
Murillo is not alone in her sentiments.
Dozens of community members have
expressed their melancholy at the news
of yet another Queens restaurant permanently
shutting down as a result of the
city’s months on lockdown.
But Riccardo’s closure is particularly
striking due to the decades of history
and countless celebrations held inside the
venue, right by the Robert F. Kennedy
Bridge (once called the Triborough
Bridge).
If you ask some of Queens’ community
members what their favorite tidbit of
Riccardo’s history is, it will most likely be
that iconic jazz singer-songwriter (and
Astorian) Tony Bennett worked as a waiter
at the restaurant before he became an
award-winning artist.
Shortly aft er the announcement of
the restaurant’s closure, Bennett took to
Twitter to express his own sadness of seeing
the restaurant go.
“When I was starting out, I got a job as a
singing waiter at Riccardo’s in Astoria,” he
wrote. “I always felt that if I never made it
as a performer, I would still be happy as a
singing waiter. I’m very sorry to hear of its
closing aft er nearly 70 years.”
Like Bennett, many Queens residents
remember with much tenderness working
at Riccardo’s as well as celebrating
school dances, graduations, proms, birthdays,
quinceañeras, sweet 16s, weddings,
anniversaries and political events in their
state-of-the-art banquet facility.
Celeste Spriggly said she grew up going
to Riccardo’s for a myriad of celebrations
— from New Years Eve parties to the celebration
of St. Mary’s Church in Long
Island City, where she met her soulmate,
Claudio.
Two years ago, they had their wedding
there.
“What makes me sad the most is that I
won’t be able to drop in to say hi to Tony,
Mark, Nina, John, Edison, Fausto and all
the wonderful staff at Riccardo’s,” said
Spriggly. “Th ank you for all the wonderful
memories, the most beautiful memories,
and giving us a piece of your hearts.”
Nicole Libertini recalled her father,
Mario, working at Riccardo’s from 1965 to
1989. “It was like a family,” she said.
Laura Ciechalski remembers sometimes
going to work with her grandmother,
Margaret Degnan, who lived right across
Riccardo’s and worked there as a coat
check attendant in the 1970s. Ciechaski
even had her fi rst Shirley Temple there.
“I always remember her being so happy
while she worked there. Everyone was
always very good to her,” said Ciechalski.
“I remember going there on so many
occasions as a young girl, being almost
star-struck by the beauty of the establishment
— everyone dressed in beautiful
suits and gowns and all of the fancy
cars. I was so young, so I don’t remember
much more than that. It was always a
happy place.”
Francesca Miano recalled her own
grandfather, Mike Lodebole, worked at
Riccardo’s as the maitre d’ in the 1960s.
Riccardo’s closing points to larger issues
the restaurant industry face in New York
City. Th e Queens Chamber of Commerce
projected that more than half of the restaurants
that have closed in the borough
since March likely won’t reopen.
For months, small businesses across the
borough have called for immediate action
and relief from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and
Mayor Bill de Blasio to prevent the economic
and quality-of-life collapse that
may result of the pandemic.
Astoria native and local Councilman
Costa Constantinides said it breaks his
heart to see “such a civic-minded restaurant
with a rich history like Riccardo’s
close down.”
“So many groups have done their events
at Riccardo’s that it became an institution
like few others in our neighborhood,” he
said. “Seeing it close only reminds us why
we must cancel rent and mortgage payments
for restaurants as the city develops
a plan to really support small businesses.
Whether it’s a plan for indoor
dining at reduced capacity or a stimulus
for restaurants and their employees, we
need creative solutions to get the industry
through the other side of this pandemic.
Otherwise, Riccardo’s will be far from the
last Astoria institution to shut its doors.”
Stephanie Laterza said the closing of
Riccardo’s is especially heartbreaking for
her family this year, as her father, George,
passed away in April.
“My parents, George and Maria Laterza,
celebrated their wedding reception at
Riccardo’s in 1978, and then their 25th
wedding anniversary there in 2003,” she
said.
“We are grateful to have also celebrated
my father’s 80th birthday party at
Riccardo’s 10 years ago,” said Stephanie.
In 2008, 30 years aft er her parents’ wedding
reception, Stephanie celebrated her
own reception at Riccardo’s.
She said that over the years, extended
family members and their friends celebrated
countless events for organizations
like the Lions Club, Our Lady of
Mt. Carmel’s Diamond Bingo Club and
HANAC.
Maria Baglio grew up in Astoria. She
recalls going to many parties at Riccardo’s.
Like Stephanie, Baglio also had a family
member recently pass away.
“Th is hits home more than ever because
my aunt passed away on May 25, and
we celebrated her 50th birthday there in
2013,” said Baglio. “She beat cervical cancer
is 2013, so we decided to throw her a
celebration for that as well as a 50th. Four
years later, she was diagnosed with lung
cancer. My mother and I were just talking
about how beautiful her party was and
how she had a wonderful time. We were
also so grateful we were able to celebrate
her milestone birthday.”
Eileen Lyons recalled two generations
of her family celebrating their wedding
receptions at Riccardo’s Tiff any Room.
“We have gone to many events there
since: New Year’s, St. Patrick’s Day, church,
anniversary and Knights of Columbus
events,” she said. “In October 1999 we
had the christening party for our daughter
there as well. We have always been
pleased with the food and service they
provided. We were there last in January
of 2020 for a Knights of Columbus award
ceremony. We will miss this special
place in the neighborhood.”
Astoria native Mercedes Maldonado
Jennings said she married her high school
sweetheart at Riccardo’s.
“We got married 13 years ago and had
our wedding reception in Riccardo’s
Tiff any Room on Friday, June 15, 2007,”
said Maldonado Jennings. “I actually
watched our wedding video the night
before last, and cried knowing that that
video is our only trinket, other than my
wedding photos, and the memory that my
husband and I shared one of the happiest
days of our lives there.”
Corbisiero, whose father, Richard,
opened the venue in 1951, wrote that
Astoria community has honored four
generations of their family with their loyalty
and trust.
“To say that we are humbled and honored
would not capture even a small sliver
of our appreciation,” Corbisiero wrote.
“We are proud of what we’ve done over
the years. Our business goal was to create
a venue that was aff ordable to the widest
group of people possible while showing
them a great time, a great value, all at
a great price. And we succeeded. Making
sure we remained aff ordable meant that
the greatest number of people could have
the greatest number of celebrations at a
place featuring — if I may say so myself
— the greatest fried calamari anywhere.”
Photo courtesy of Eileen Lyons
Eileen Lyon’s husband’s parents wedding reception at Riccardo’s in 1949.
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