Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE PALM
.
,
California is at the heart of the current debate about the economy and immigration (both legal and
otherwise). It is fitting that the history of The Palm is based on the vision, hard work, and persever-
ance of immigrants. The deep history of The Palm begins in Italy and on the East Coast.
Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Italy's feudal land system offered little hope for per-
sonal improvement. If you were fortunate enough to own land, you could charge very high rent to
farmers or pay very low wages to workers. As a result, many millions of Italians decided to move to
the new land of America, where hard work and opportunity gave everyone the chance for a better
life. Most of them came to New York through Ellis Island.
Two immigrants, John Ganzi and Pio Bozzi, who had arrived separately in the United States
in the early 1920s from the Northern Italian town of Parma, met in New York City. Wanting to
better their lives, they felt that they could serve New Yorkers, and particularly their fellow Italian
immigrants, by opening a restaurant that featured the ethnic food of their homeland.
Although they had learned to speak English in their new country, their pronunciation of some
words needed refinement. Applying for a business permit to open an eatery called
Parma
after their
hometown, they were misunderstood. The license was granted, but the official heard
Palm
, and
that's what he wrote on their newly issued license. An industry and a legend were born.
It wasn't long before famous and influential citizens were attracted to The Palm. Others came
too, including artists from the King Features news syndicate who, short of cash, were willing to help
decorate the walls with caricatures in exchange for food. Operating on a shoestring, and having no
budget for decorations, John and Pio were only too happy to trade a meal for something to cover
the bare walls.
Their fame grew, along with their families. Wally Ganzi and Bruce Bozzi, grandsons of the
original proprietors, took over for their fathers in the early 1960s when The Palm was still a single
restaurant. It was so popular, they found it necessary to expand. So, rather than incorporating the
place next door, Wally and Bruce elected to open another restaurant across town. They called it
Palm Too.
When George H. W. Bush was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, he often frequented
The Palm. Before he returned to Washington to become the head of the Republican National Com-
mittee, he suggested that they expand outside the City. Taking his suggestion to heart, they opened
their first expansion restaurant, The Palm in Washington, D.C.
