Nestled between two warehouses in a back alley facing Fordham University in The Bronx, Pugsley Pizza has been serving college students for the past half-century. Family photos line the walls, couches and lawn chairs are used as furniture, and customers are greeted with a life-size cutout of owner Sal Natale and his wife Pina at the register. The rest of his family runs the counter while he makes the pizza in the back corner, cracking jokes with each other while they work. Pugsley’s feels like being at a relative’s house to the point where paying for the food feels surprising.
Natale grew up on the small Italian island of Sicily. He and his family moved across the world to The Bronx when Natale was a young adult, and has lived there ever since. While he never intended to become a pizza man when first coming to the United States, it is a career that he adores.
Even as he is approaching his 80th birthday, Natale still remains a vibrant character. His thinning white hair creeps above the green visor he has on, with his matching apron stained from grease and pizza sauce. From loudly banging a gong each time he makes a pie, to playing the saxophone for his customers, his spirit lights up the dimly lit storefront.
After getting his son Pietro to man the pizza ovens, Natale sat down in a patio chair on the front deck outside the shop and opened up about his journey to the United States, his business, and his personal pastimes.
To start, do you want to tell me a little about yourself
I'm an immigrant from Sicily who came over to New York in 1967, and myself and my family run Pugsley Pizza up here in The Bronx, and have been for over fifty years now.
What was immigrating to America like? Did you come with your family? Did you go by yourself?
So, I moved over here when I was twenty-two years old. At that time when I came over, you had to apply for that in Sicily, and the whole thing took forever. Me and my family had to wait fourteen years after sending in the immigration papers until they finally called us. So my father came here first, and then a year later, me and the rest of my family arrived. Myself, my two sisters, and mom came after my father.
So when you arrived in New York City, did you initially come to the Bronx?
Yes, when I came to New York I originally went to the Bronx. I first came with the idea that I want to be one of the many saxophone players and music performers around the city. I wanted to be one of the greatest saxophone players ever. And then when I got in, when I saw the environment, it looked a little bit shaky financially. All sorts of playboys, you know, which just did not work because I wanted to have a family. I ended up letting the saxophone go, and then I wanted to run my own business.
You mentioned that you play the saxophone. How long have you been playing for? Do you still play?
I have been playing since I was a kid, so, as you can see, for a very long time, but that does not mean I am really that good at it. It really doesn’t matter how much you play or study the saxophone, so I have always been an amateur. Sometimes I still bring it out and play a little bit in the shop for the customers.
What made you want to go into the pizza business?
The drummer of the band I was in when I first got here was a pizza man, and from doing that for a while, he was able to own a beautiful house, and I told myself maybe I should go into that kind of business. I ended up going partner with the drummer, and we opened up Pugsley’s back in 1970, and then shortly after I bought out his half of the business. Back when we first opened we were on Briggs avenue and 194th street, just a few blocks away from here. So from there, we came up with the idea to do something juicy for the college (Fordham University), and this place was available, so we moved closer to the school and opened up here on 191st street in 1985.
How has working near Fordham and The Bronx’s Little Italy been over the years? Do you have any crazy stories from the students?
Surprisingly I do not have any stories like that, the students are great, great people, it's great to work alongside the school. The neighborhood (Belmont), due to the fact that Fordham is here, is okay. Since we are close to the college, there is more security, school security, more cops around. Being near Little Italy means good restaurants and ice cream. I think both are good and they bring in a little bit of a culture around here.
Do you still live in The Bronx? What neighborhood?
Yes, I still do, I have a house pretty nearby with my family. I live near Pelham Parkway, down past Fordham Road, which is a little east from here. The neighborhood is called Pelham Gardens, and it has been a beautiful place to live.
Are there any last words that you would like to end on?
Yeah I got some words. I love Sicily like I love my mother, and I love America like I love my wife. That’s all I got.