Behind the Bulletproof Door
A solid piece of bulletproof glass is
over one inch think. Behind the glass is anyone or anything worthy of
protection. Perhaps behind the bulletproof glass there is the President of the
United States of America, a teller at the Bank of America or a restaurant.
Wait, you might be thinking to yourself a restaurant? Why would a restaurant need
bulletproof glass? The purpose of this specific piece of bulletproof glass was
to protect the Smaldone Italian Crime family. Located at 38th Avenue
and Tejone Street in Denver, Colorado. Gaetano’s Italian restaurant has had a bulletproof
front door since 1947. The Restaurant has since been take over in the mid 90s by
the Wynkoop family of restaurants and has no connection to the mafia. The only reminisces
left are the little news clip it’s of past Denver Post articles on “the
family”, the bullet proof front door and the great Italian food. The slogan was
and still continues to be “ Italian to Die For.” Which is fitting for a place known for it’s boot legging,
illegal gambling, illegal prohibition liquor sales, and loan sharking. The only
reason this restaurant survived it’s owners being put in jail, cars driving
through the front door, and changes of ownership, is the great Italian food. It
is amazing that this rich piece of Denver history is still thriving because of
a little red sauce. But you are not here to read about food and I am not here
to write about it. I am here to write about what went on behind the bulletproof
door.
Ralph Smaldone was a first generation
Italian Immigrant. First taking up shop in New Orleans then finally making it
to Colorado. (Still trying to find details on why he moved to Colorado) Mamie Smaldone
was born in America after her mother emigrated from Italy. First residing in
New York then slowly finding her way to Colorado. (Still trying to find out how
she got to Colorado.) Ralph and Mamie Smaldone got married in 1930 something (still
trying to find date) In 1934 Ralph
and Mamie Smaldone, opened the Tejon Street Café in Denver, Colorado. They had
many children boys named Ralph Jr., Eugene, Clyde, Clarence, Andrew and girls
named Genevieve, Corinne, and Angie. Also they had a pair of identical
twins die at birth. Italians love having a big family and love making money. Having
ties to the mafia in Italy made it easy for this small time Café to hit the
ground running. Before you knew it the Tejone Café was running an illegal
bootlegging service. This stunt didn’t last long and Ralph and Mamie were being
charged with illegal bootlegging in the mid 1940’s. Eugene, Clyde and Clarence
were particularly involved in the bootlegging and by this time involved with
other Italian Families in the Denver area. They knew it was there time and that
they were going to make it, all they needed was the restaurant and their
parents. The problem was both of these things would be gone once the trial
started. Clyde bravely stepped up to the plate and served the 3 year sentence
for his parents. In 1947 Eugene,
Clyde and Clarence moved the restaurant on the corner of 38th and
Tejone, then renamed it Gaetano’s (Italian for Clyde).
