It’s a typical Monday night inside Sal’s Pizza and Restaurant, Norwood’s oldest and most popular Italian joint. Hurried locals drop in for a quick slice. Friends pick up take-out. A family stops for a sit-down meal. And there’s Sal Calces, the gregarious, omnipresent owner of his namesake eatery since 1980.
Always affectionate, Sal’s laying it on thick tonight. He wants to give you a big smile and a hug and maybe a kiss on the cheek. After 31 years of tomato sauce, sweat and tears, he’s leaving, he tells you. But it’s going to be okay, he reassures. That’s just how life works. He shrugs and says with a thick southern Italian accent hardly dented after 43 years in the Bronx: “Everything come to an end.”
By the time you read this, Sal will be gone; retired at age 62, spending time in the east Bronx with his ailing wife, two kids and four grandchildren. But his life’s work — the restaurant, his pizza, his spirit — will still be on Bainbridge Avenue, between East 205th and 206th streets. Aside from adding a delivery option, the new owner, Musa Nesheiwat, a Jordanian man who grew up eating Sal’s pizza, says he won’t change a thing.
Still, Sal’s without Sal will take some getting used to.
A woman lured Sal to the Bronx in 1968. The oldest of seven siblings, Alfonso “Sal” Calces was working on his family’s small farm in Sarno, Italy, a mid-sized town of about 65,000 people close to Naples. His wife, Lina, had moved to the Bronx earlier that year to live with her sister and her sister’s husband, an American citizen. On Christmas Eve, Sal arrived in the United States. The plan wasn’t necessarily to stay forever, but that’s how it worked out.
“It’s New York, you find what you can find,” he says.
He first settled in the south Bronx and worked construction until the pizza bug bit him. About 10 years into his time in the States, his brother-in-law bought a pizza place in Dobbs Ferry and Sal started working with him, making pies.
Soon, Sal decided to open his own pizza shop on Central Avenue in Scarsdale. In 1980, he re-located the shop to Norwood in a small location on East 206th Street, just around the corner from the current Sal’s, right next to a “numbers joint and a bar,” he says.
The neighborhood was about 75 percent Irish at the time, Sal estimates: “5 percent Italian, 5 percent Jewish, 5 percent Albanian, hardly any Spanish people.” Over the years, the demographics have changed dramatically. Most of the Irish, Italians and Jews have moved out and Hispanics, Bengalis, West Indians and African-Americans have moved in.
“The neighborhood has changed from day to night,” he says. “But for me, it’s all good.”
He sees that residents have less money these days, many of the working class people replaced by those living on public assistance. “Money is not around like what it used to be,” he says.
But through it all, Sal’s has stayed popular and profitable. “We did well,” he says. Well enough to allow Sal to retire at 62.
In 1997, Sal’s relocated to Bainbridge Avenue and tripled in size. He took on more employees and offered one of the only sit-down restaurants in the area.
In addition to providing the best Italian food in the neighborhood, his restaurant has served as a rock of stability. Sal made a point of fostering continuity. He rarely missed work and only took Sundays off. Isaias Sandoval started working at Sal’s 20 years ago at the age of 19. Mike Mulaj, another constant presence at Sal’s front counter, has been with Sal for 12 years.
And, of course, there’s the food. From the beginning, Sal says he has only used “top ingredients, the best tomatoes, the best cheese, everything.” Another secret to his success, Sal says, is that he never adds sugar to his sauce as many New York pizza makers do. That also means, he says, “that nobody goes home at night with a bellyache.”
Sal says his other secret is that “I treat everyone with respect.” That’s why he believes people keep coming back.
Ask anyone about Sal and they will smile and tell you how great he is.
“He’s the best man,” says Sandoval, with a big smile. “He’s like my father. This man is incredible.”
Mulaj points to his dozen years under Sal’s employment as evidence of the man’s goodness. “If he’s bad, I wouldn’t stay here 12 days,” he says.
Lissette Checo has been a Sal’s regular since she moved to the neighborhood 10 years ago. She’s tried everything on the menu and says you can’t go wrong with any selection. And then, there’s Sal. “He’s friendly, very, very nice,” she says. “He caters to your every need. He treats you like family.”
That’s exactly how Sal sees his customers, like family. Ask him what he will miss most. Sal says: “My customers, my people. That’s my family. This neighborhood, this is my home.”
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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Wow….hard to believe Sal is leaving the old neighborhood. I lived on Rochambeau Avenue, just around the corner from Sal’s when he took over the pizza shop back in 1980. From the very first week he was there I was purchasing one of his slices. I remained in the neighborhood until 1995 and usually bought my pizza from Sal. Then in the late 90’s when I was dating a girl from the neighborhood there were quite a few times I would stop by Sal’s for a slice or two. He was surprised to see me coming back for his pizza.
Through all of the years I received nothing but special attention from Sal, as the article says, he treated everyone as if they were part of the family. They say that all good things must come to an end, and all I can say is I wish Sal all the best to him and his family on his retirement.
I cannot believe Sal is retiring. I have known Sal for over 35 years and still come to the Bronx for his pizza….I hope that retirement is good to you and that your wife is ok….food, service, the hugs when you come in, his Italian voice and great heart will all be missed….love to you and your family!!!!
Can’t believe that this will be the end of a fantastic era. Sal’s warm personality and welcoming demeanor is one of the things that keep us coming back…all the way from Ohio. The pizza goes without saying is the greatest. We will miss you Sal, but may retirement treat you well and may you enjoy your time with family. After 31 years, it is well deserved.
I keep looking in when I pass Sal’s now and notice that’s he’s gone, so strange,…Sal, you’re already missed! The neighborhood loves you and we wish you nothing but happiness, good health, and peace during your retirement. God bless you and your wife and family.
Best of luck to Sal and his family. Sal’s Pizza
was where we all started our Friday and Saturday nights with a slice – The place was a true neighborhood hangout and destination – the ONLY place to go with your friends for the best pizza around. I have lots of fond memories of Sal and the pizzeria from growing up. Hope you have a happy and enjoyable retirement.
End of an era! I’ve known Alfonso since he bought the pizzeria at the original location on 206th St. While I no longer live in the neighborhood, I grew up with his great pizza, heroes, and pasta dishes for nearly three decades. At Christmas time, he used to give us a bottle of wine as a gift, and even when I stopped by now and then in recent years, he always recognized me and asked if my parents and sister were doing well. I will miss him very much, but wish him well in his retirement and hope that all will be well with his wife and family.
Sal,
You’re a good part of my childhood memories. Thanks for being a good guy who made great pizza and calzones.
awesome guy he will truely be missed, its 2015 and i still look for sals pizza i talk about it all the time, living up state for 8 years now when i know someones headed to the bronx i beg them to bring me back a pie .use to get off the bus right infront of his place , i would call my order in on the bus and pick it up, for me it was great food loved there chicken cutlet parm heros and i always got the ziti with chicken parm with one extra bread , loved dipping it bread in the sause.i also got a bottle ever year from sal with a very nice thank you and seasons greetings, he also stoped by my husbands nephews funneral for a quick prayer and to exstend his condolences . he always make sure your happy with your orders , had the time to say a quick hello just an all around nice guy ,he was a hard working man , he truely deserves to enjoy his retirement and family , i hope everything goes well with his wife ill pray . thanks sal for years of enjoyable food , good luck in life and enjoy . you got that right good things do come to an end .my belly wants to extend a very very thank you too for all the years you made it very contant lol its true . thanks again . enjoy life .
Sal knows me from when I was in my mothers belly 35 years ago. Even now living in Brooklyn I take every chance I get to stop by for a slice. Best pizza in the Bronx. Greats owner. Literally remember everyone by name. It’s ironic how my mother hated pizza until she was pregnant with me and had to have Sal’s everyday. And 34 yrs later my wife went into labor while using the restroom at Sal’s …. Quite a special moment. We will always remember Sal! Good luck buddy. Enjoy retirement.