Prior to World War II, Windsor had various Italian restaurants, clubs, and businesses. Some restaurants that were opened even served pizza. However, it was not until after World War II that Italian immigration to Windsor rapidly increased. With the new wave of immigrants, a new industry was born.
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Retrieved from, Impronte: Italian Imprints in Windsor by Madelyn DellaValle.
Map of Erie Street East. Retrieved from, Impronte: Italian Imprints in Windsor by Madelyn DellaValle.
During World War II, concerns about fascism led to a halt in Italian immigration to Canada and the United States. Following World War II, economic opportunities encouraged immigration to Canada. Nearly 75% of Windsor's Italian population immigrated between 1940 and 1970.
Erie Street quickly became an expanding neighbourhood for Italian immigrants with numerous restaurants, bars, bakeries, and grocery stores. Erie Street was a cultural hub for Italian migrants and attracted non-Italians to its businesses and shops. As well, Erie Street became a place for Italian Americans to get a taste of home when their Little Italy declined.9 Many of these families created and ran their own businesses that hold legacies in Windsor today, such as Europa Imports and La Stella Supermarket.
Windsor-style pizza emerged during this era. What the Windsor-style pizza industry became was not just about the ingredients themselves, but also about a distinct style, the specific sourcing of those ingredients, established business practices, family environments, and a loyal customer base.
Photo of Eugenio Manza and Frank Gualteri inside Volcano Pizzeria. Courtesy of Rina Hayreek/Arcata Pizzeria. Retrieved from CBC News.
Eugenio Manza, owner of Volcano Pizzeria, at work. Courtesy of Joe and Rosemary Bonasso. Retrieved from Impronte: Italian Imprints in Windsor by Madelyn DellaValle.
Photo of Frank Gualtieri, one of the owners of Volcano Pizzeria. Courtesy of the Gualtieri family. Retrieved from CBC News.
Employees working in the kitchen of Volcano Pizzeria. Frank Tedesco (near the oven), future owner of Franco's restaurant, began his career at Volcano. Courtesy of Joe and Rosemary Bonasso. Retrieved from Impronte: Italian Imprints in Windsor by Madelyn DellaValle.
In 1957, Eugenio Manza and Frank Gualterri opened Volcano Pizzeria, which is credited with creating Windsor-style pizza. Eugenio (Gino) grew up in Calabria, labouring in the fields in Italy, learning to work hard from a young age. At 19, Gino moved to Manitoba and was employed at CP Railroad. After three years, he moved to Windsor to be closer to his brother-in-law, Stan Cundari, a successful businessman who owned a pizza company in Detroit. Gino saw how popular pizza was in Detroit and wanted to bring something new to Windsor. Gino put in significant effort to find the right equipment and a bank willing to lend him a loan. Needing help, Gino chose his cousin, Frank Gualterri, who borrowed money from family, and found a supplier who provided a one-year loan to pay for the equipment.10
The key to Volcano Pizzeria's successful start was what became common among future Windsor-style pizza companies: hard work, a family environment, a loyal customer base, and a signature pizza style. Gino put in long hours to start his business because he was concerned about its opening amid a recession and uncertainty about customer response. Gino also realized that for his business to be successful, he needed driven employees to run his pizzeria. He chose people who were honest, friendly, and dependable. In 1957, Volcanos opened and was instantly successful, even without formal advertising, as he could not afford it. Customers quickly lined up along the street and word of the pizza spread. The company quickly expanded from 60 seats to 400 seats and had a welcoming family environment for customers and employees. Employees would often have staff parties while customers ordered the pizza. When asked what he enjoyed about Volcanos, he stated, “I liked interacting with customers and was proud to see the young boys and girls I hired with no job experience later graduate and move on to become teachers, doctors, and lawyers.” Most importantly, Volcanos Pizzeria was the first to shred pepperoni, use Galati Cheese, add cornmeal to its crust, and use canned mushrooms.
Many of Windsor's pizza makers got their start at Volcanos, such as Frank Tedesco, owner of Franco’s.11 Although Volcanos closed in 1986, Gino's and Frank’s legacy remains deeply rooted in the Windsor pizza industry. Volcanos set a standard for Windsor-style pizza business practices, starting with hard work and creating a family environment. Many Windsor-style Pizzerias today have deep connections with their staff, which leads to an efficient team. In addition, Volcanos valued its customers, cherished interactions, and relied on word of mouth to keep the business alive. Finally, Volcanos set the standard for how the pizza was made, which modern Windsor-style Pizzerias still follow.
Arcata Pizza, Capri, Armando's, Francos, Naples, and Antonino’s are long-standing, widespread pizza chains in Windsor, all with roots dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. Many of the Windsor-style pizzerias today trace back to Tony Ciaravino. Tony established Capri Pizzeria in 1959 on Dougall Rd, the first pizzeria in the South Windsor area. Capri Pizzeria was a popular hangout for celebrities who performed at the Elmwood Hotel. Tony then went on to own Arcata in the '60s, where the owner of Antonino’s Pizza (created in honour of Tony) and Tony’s son, Joe Ciaravino, grew up. Tony holds a presence in three of Windsor’s largest pizza companies, Arcata, Capri, and Antonino’s, through his participation in their history and the legacy that Antonino’s Pizza continues to honour today.12
Antonino and Vita Ciaravino in front of their original diner/pizzeria in Windsor, ON (959). Retrieved from Antonini's Original Pizza.
From Volcanos to the many notable pizzerias of the 1950s to 1960s, these pizzerias established a clear identity shared by the people of Windsor and across the border in Detroit. For example, a 1987 Detroit Free Press newspaper article explains how Madonna ordered an authentic Windsor-style pizza after a show in Detroit. Additionally, in a 1993 Detroit Free Press article, a former Windsor resident wrote to the "Eating Well" column to find a Windsor-style pizza in Detroit. The resident was hoping to find a pizza like Franco's Pizza that had zesty sauce and generous toppings. In addition, the request identified they did not want a floppy Detroit Pizza.13 These articles and columns in the Detroit Free Press highlight a craving for Windsor-style pizza across borders.
These early-established Windsor-style pizzerias were founded by Italian families, starting with Volcano Pizzeria, which inspired other family-owned Windsor-style pizzerias. As noted in the newspaper articles, Windsor-style pizza was influential among Windsorites and carried its notoriety across the border, helping establish Windsor as a distinct identity following World War II. Starting with Volcanos, a culture of hard work, family environments, strong customer relationships, quality service, and distinct ingredients made the industry successful.
This article was published in a 1987 copy of the Detroit Free Press. The article, written by Mike Duffy, detailed a party he attended with pop star Madonna. “If Madonna Parties, the World Parties Too,” Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan), August 9, 1987.
This newspaper clipping is part of the "Eating Well" column of the Detroit Free Press. John Tanasychuck, “Help a Windsor Pizza Fan,” Detroit Free Press, June 16, 1993.
Use this lesson about the creation of Windsor-style pizza in your classroom. The provided lesson is best suited for Grade 10 History and Grade 11 Food and Culture.
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