The Street Seen: Gallo Café
2442 Main Street @ Hollister
The Gallo Café on Main Street is built, owned, and operated from 1937 to 1945 by Carmelinda and Guiseppe Gallo.
Carmelinda Donatelli Lasorella Gallo (1888–1947)
Carmelinda Donatelli, born in Italy, comes with her family to the US in 1908. Her father and brothers are all band musicians in Venice. In 1921 Carmelinda marries Venice band musician Salvatore Lasorella (1878 – 1929).1 In 1923 Lasorella builds a 2-story residence over a grocery store building at 2701 Highland - where they live.
Salvatore Lasorella dies in 1929, and Carmelinda Lasorella marries Guiseppe Gallo in 1930.
Guiseppe Gallo (1877 – 1945)
Guiseppe2 Gallo, born in Italy, comes to the US in 1901. Gallo is a trombone player in the Venice of America band3 - 6 years with Ellery, and 5 years with Creatore. In 1904 Gallo marries Fannie Hopkins (1869 – 1929), and they have a daughter, Camelia Ellen Gallo Jensen (1905 – 1990). In 1921, Gallo is a member of the Santa Monica Municipal Band. In late 1925, there is internal dissention in the band, leading to the City terminating the band. Guiseppe Gallo wins a City contract to provide a band in 1927.4
When Main Street is widened to 80 feet in 1926, all of the buildings on the west side of Main St, from Hollister to the City’s south limits, are demolished.
In 1930, Gallo, no longer in the band business, builds a 25 ft by 50 ft plan, 2-story residence over a store brick building on a 68 ft by 50 ft lot at 2518 Main St. J.L. Schimmer & Son is the contractor for the $5,250 building.
Gallo’s 2518 Main is the first substantial building on the west side of Main St between Hollister and Ocean Park since the 1926 widening.5 In 1930, Gallo advertises to lease/sell the building, but ends up operating a grocery and beverage6 store himself.
Guiseppe’s wife, Fannie Hopkins Gallo, dies in 1929, and Gallo marries Carmelinda Lasorella in 1930.
Gallo Café
In 1930, Guiseppe (at 2518 Main) and Carmelinda (at 2701 Highland), now married, are operating two grocery stores. In the midst of the depression, 1931 is not a good year for the Gallo’s. Guiseppe Gallo loses 514 Ocean Park Blvd in foreclosure.7 Carmelinda Lasorella loses 2620 5th St and 2701 Highland Ave in foreclosure. They move their residence to 502 Raymond Ave, but continue to operate the grocery store at 2518 Main St. With the end of prohibition in 1933, 2518 Main St. becomes a liquor store.8
In 1936, Carmelinda9 and Guiseppe Gallo, build a 50 ft by 40 ft plan 1-story restaurant building on 50 ft by 68 ft double-width lot at 2442 Main St. J.L. Schimmer, Jr (the son) is the contractor for the $3,500 building. In 1937, Gallo advertises to lease/sell the building, but ends up operating the Gallo Café. Guiseppe Gallo dies in 1945 (and Carmelinda in 1947).
The Galley
In 1946 under a different operator, the space becomes the Galley restaurant. Carmelinda and Salvatore Lasorella’s daughter, Teresa Lasorella Feider (1926 – 2006), still owns the property into the 1990s.
Salvatore Lasorella (1878 – 1929). Born in Italy, comes to the US in 1901. In 1907 Lasorella marries Edna Grace Thompson (1888 – 1965), and they have a son, Philip Lasorella (1908 – 1987). Salvatore Lasorella is a member of the Santa Monica Municipal Band. In 1921, Lasorella marries Carmelinda Donatelli (1888 –1947), and they have a daughter, Teresa Giulia Lasorella Feider (1926 – 2006).
Gallo spells his given name, the Italian form of Joseph, as Guiseppe. Giuseppe is the more conventional spelling.
Guiseppe’s brother, Fortunato Gallo (1878 – 1970), is an advance man for Channing Ellery’s Royal Italian Band. By 1910 Fortunato Gallo is the manager of Giuseppe Creatore’s (1871 - 1952) band.
In 1927, Guiseppe Gallo has a contract with the City to furnish 3 band concerts a week (on Saturday and twice on Sunday). For the 3 concerts with a 25-piece band, Gallo is paid $452. Although highly praised, Gallo’s directorship of the Santa Monica Municipal Band only lasts from September to December 1927.
Following the 1926 widening of Main St, by 1950 between Hollister and Ocean Park, there are still only three buildings (2424 Main, 2442 Main, and 2518 Main) on the west side of Main St. On the unaltered east side of Main St, the Imperial Ice Company occupies 2435 Main St from 1908 to 1946.
Guiseppe Gallo advertises his store as a malt warehouse. From 1920 to 1933, Prohibition ended the sale of intoxicating beverages. While the sale of beer is banned, its ingredients are not. Although malt syrup is advertised as a baking ingredient, many buyers use the extract to make beer.
From 1921 to 1927, the Gallo family lives at 514 Ocean Park Blvd, where Fannie manages the Domestic Hand Laundry.
Jerome Buteyn takes over 2518 Main St and operates Jerry’s Liquor from 1939 to 1963
The 1936 building permit for 2442 Main St is issued to Carmelinda. She is listed as the proprietor of Gallo Café - Guiseppe is listed as the bartender.