The Palermo Family
By Michelle Ann Kratts
I had heard of the Palermo chickens from my grandmother. Everyone bought Palermo chickens. They were usually still alive, in cages. You picked one. They butchered it right there and you took it home. My grandmother said the chicken soup from a Palermo chicken was heavenly. The broth was golden. The frozen store-bought chickens we purchase today just cannot compare to a Palermo chicken.
September 3, 1940
So, I sought out the story of the Palermo chickens. Who were the Palermo’s? How did they start selling chickens? There was also a Palermo’s Restaurant.
March 11, 1949
Many of Niagara’s Italians first began their careers in the food industry as grocers. The Palermo family was no different. One of the earliest references to this family was in the Niagara Falls City Directory of 1910, listing Felix Palermo, 494 20th Street, grocer. Felix (also called Felice, Phil, or Philip) had several brothers who came to America from Italy. According to censuses, directories and obituaries, there were at least five brothers: Felix, Salvatore, Joseph, Charles and Nicholas Palermo. There were also at least three sisters (with married names): Maria Pugliese, Lucy Gallina, and Rose Mangione. Felix, Joseph and Nicholas may have been the only brothers to live in Niagara Falls. Early records show many variations on the surname such as Palmero and Palarino.
Felix, possibly the oldest sibling, was born in September of 1878, in Italy. He came to the United States in 1891 and lived in Niagara Falls for 59 years before his death on July 18, 1965. He and his wife, Maria Riggi, had two sons: Joseph and Charles Palermo. They also had two daughters: Jennie Amato and Josephine Viscuglia.
Felix was an enterprising man. It might also be stated that he certainly had his share of pluck. For several years, he did, indeed, operate a grocery business from 494 20th Street. According to Niagara Falls City Directory records he did so from 1910 until 1913. In 1913 he opened a saloon at 2007 Ferry Avenue. This address would be associated with Felix for most of his life…and would be the site of some commotion from time to time. For once the 18th Amendment and Prohibition was enacted life would change for proprietors of taverns and saloons—especially for Felix Palermo. Almost immediately, the business operated out of 2007 Ferry Avenue transformed from a saloon to Palermo and Co. Bottling Works where soda and carbonated drinks were manufactured….along with other more risqué beverages. On July 6, 1927, it was reported that Federal Prohibition agents had raided a “wildcat brewery” at 2007 Ferry Avenue. Upon the premises, owned by Felix Palermo, agents seized various illicit equipment worth about $20,000. Apparently the building was constructed to resemble a ten-car garage. “Doors opened on the front, but a brick wall from floor to ceiling set off the interior of the building.” Very crafty business! No one was arrested, however, “samples of the brew were taken” and city police were requested to guard the place. A raid by federal agents in 1930 brought more trouble to Felix. On April 1st, he was arrested and charged with violating prohibition law by being in possession of intoxicants. Four barrels of home brew beer were found on the premises. Others were also arrested during this raid. Interestingly enough, according to the Niagara Falls City Directory from 1928, there were almost 200 soft drinkeries in the city of Niagara Falls during this time period. It’s only natural to wonder if many of these businesses were also secretly manufacturing alcoholic beverages.
July 6, 1927
During the later part of the 1920’s, the Palermo’s officially became involved with the poultry business with the creation of the Live Poultry Market, located at 431 19th Street and 1128 Falls Street, which was managed by Reginald Palermo. Although it is unknown if Felix was a part of this operation, he did hold the world championship as a chicken-plucker. According to accounts in the Niagara Falls Gazette he could strip a fowl of its feathers in less than four seconds. The New York Post even reported his strange skills in an article from January 22, 1935. Contests were held annually in the City Market. Felix’s brother, Salvatore, had established a record in Buffalo, as well, only to be beaten by Felix. Salvatore operated a poultry store at 145 Busti Avenue in Buffalo.
November 22, 1930
By 1934, Palermo’s Restaurant was officially established –although Felix’s obituary states that he had been serving food since 1926. Felix and his wife, Maria, managed Palermo’s until his retirement in 1945. Felix passed away on July 18, 1965 at the Restwell Nursing Home on Buffalo Avenue in Niagara Falls. He was buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Maria Riggi Palermo, Felix’s wife, died several years before him, on November 20, 1963 at Memorial Hospital. Maria was also buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
As for Palermo’s chicken market, the directories and censuses of Niagara Falls shed some light on various locations and owners of the family-operated business. Along with Reginald (who is documented as the first manager), there were other Palermos connected to the business in 1927 and 1928: Salvatore and Joseph Palermo, residing at 453 19th Street; and Nicholas Palermo, another manager of Live Poultry Market, was listed as residing at 1128 Falls Street. By 1929 the directory notes that “Reginald moved to New York City.” He is never mentioned again. By 1931, Felix and Clara and Joseph and Theresa are operating the Niagara Live Poultry Company out of 451 19th Street. Through the 1930’s Niagara Live Poultry was located at both locations. By 1938 Niagara Live Poultry was at 1800 Pine Avenue at the City Market. However Joseph and Son were still operating out of the 451 19th Street shop. During the war years, Niagara Live Poultry was located at 625 18th Street and Joseph Palermo dealt poultry from 451 19th Street. By 1949 another location was added—708 19th Street. Felix and Clara ran this business.
November 3, 1949
March 20, 1937
To our knowledge there are no longer any members of the Palermo family operating poultry businesses in the Niagara area. In fact, many of the sites mentioned have been bulldozed long ago. But the memories of the Palermo chickens, and the recipes, live on in Niagara’s history.
Click to enlarge.
The Italians of Niagara Falls 