Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It was a 1960s New Dorp landmark – a restaurant shaped like a circus tent with a clown perched on the roof. At Pizza Clown, you could get a slice and a soda for a quarter. By 1969, the clown was gone and the name had been changed to Pizza Town USA after Gennaro “Jerry” Chiarello became the proud new owner. But it continued serving the best pizza, zeppoles and calzones, and attracting regulars from across the Island that included throngs of kids from New Dorp High School and Our Lady Queen of Peace. Jerry’s death on Sept. 10 at the age of 82 inspired a rush of memories for longtime customers who became friends -- and even more -- with the Chiarellos. “I was welcomed with open arms as an extended member of the family,” said Rocco Andriulli, 41, who worked for Jerry while growing up in New Dorp Beach. The pizzeria was a second home where he enjoyed simple conversations about sports and life with the caring restaurateur, whose uniform always included a monogrammed polo shirt, a chef’s apron and a baseball cap. “Jerry was more than a boss,” Rocco said. “He was a role model, an idol who was committed to serving the community. He was the mayor of New Dorp.” He was also a great singer with a voice that called to mind Sinatra or Pavarotti, Rocco shared. “If Jerry found out it was your birthday, he would sing to you over the P.A. system. He wasn’t shy at all.” The American Dream Born in Scala Coeli, Italy, on May 13, 1943, Jerry immigrated with his family to Brooklyn when he was 15. He went to work as a short order cook and learned to speak English while attending Brooklyn Technical High School. He later worked for the Stimpson Tool and Die Company on the Williamsburg waterfront. On July 20, 1968, Jerry married Marie, the love of his life. Their family soon grew with a daughter, Rosa, in 1969, a son, Angelo, in 1971, and a second daughter, Jennifer, in 1976. Pizza Town USA flourished at 413 New Dorp Lane, luring customers with an intoxicating aroma that wafted over to nearby Hylan Boulevard. By 1993, Jerry was eager to expand the pizzeria into a full-service restaurant. The distinctive tent structure was demolished and replaced by Gennaro’s, where Jerry continued serving his specialties until he retired in 2018. Today the restaurant is Bravo Pizza, under different ownership. Rocco Andriulli remembers as a young boy picking up dinner with his father at Gennaro’s every Saturday night -– “a pie to go for me and Dad, a broccoli and chicken roll for Mom” –- before watching the Friday night fights on HBO. By the time he was a student at Egbert Intermediate School, Rocco knew he wanted to work for Jerry. He secured his working papers and became part of the staff at the tender age of 13. “Jerry gave me a shot,” Rocco said with appreciation. Saturdays were always busiest, with a noon-to-midnight shift at $5 an hour. He would enjoy working alongside Jerry for 14 years, forming a lifelong bond along the way. Rocco met his wife, Kathleen, while working at the restaurant. “I wouldn’t take her order until she gave me her phone number,” he laughed. He proposed in January 2013 – at Gennaro’s, of course – and they were married that July. More than a restaurant Pizza Town USA, and later Gennaro’s, were favorite destinations for class trips. Students from nearby PS 41 and PS 22 enjoyed tours of the restaurant and pizza-making lessons with the owner. Jerry was especially generous with his youngest customers, Rocco said. When a youngster came in with just $2, Jerry would give him an extra slice. “He took a hit, but he didn’t care. He never turned anyone away.” During snowstorms, Jerry kept the restaurant open late for the Sanitation workers and ambulance drivers on duty, Rocco remembered. “He unlocked the doors for them, no matter how late it was.” His generosity was most evident following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The following day, the Gennaro’s van delivered three dozen pies and cases of bottled water to first responders at Ground Zero. The deliveries continued every day for the next two months. “He knew he had to do something to help those brave men and women. He wanted to cheer them on, and thank them,” Rocco said. Jerry was also eager to help the community after Hurricane Sandy damaged much of the Midland Beach and New Dorp areas in October 2012. The restaurant was spared, but his home was affected by flood waters. As recovery continued, Gennaro’s stayed open to provide shelter and offer comfort to those affected by the storm. For five decades, Jerry worked long days and closed the restaurant only three times a year – Christmas, New Year’s and Easter. He spent his final retirement years with his wife, Marie, in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Rocco misses the restaurateur with a genuine smile who served up a little love with every slice. In a moving tribute following Jerry’s death, he wrote from the heart: “Until we meet again, we know that heaven is enjoying great pizza and zeppoles with one of the best.”
