Luigi and Melina Fiume arrived in Yellowknife in the fall of 1956 with $25 and a couple of suitcases filled with clothing unsuitable for the climate, according to their son, Roberto Fiume.
Luigi, 25, and Melina, 20, emigrated from Napoli, Italy, on the advice that there were jobs in Canada. They worked their way from Halifax to the NWT and arrived without a lick of English.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey didnSA国际影视传媒檛 choose Yellowknife,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberto. SA国际影视传媒淵ellowknife chose them.SA国际影视传媒�
Luigi worked for 25 years at Con Mine and Melina raised three children: Roberto, Elena and Teresa, and often hosted others in their home.
SA国际影视传媒淢y mom fed all the neighbourhood kids,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberto.
LuigiSA国际影视传媒檚 dream was to open up a pizzeria and deli, and in 1979, while still working at the mine, he launched LuigiSA国际影视传媒檚 on 53 Street, now the site of BrunoSA国际影视传媒檚 Pizza.
SA国际影视传媒淲e started in a double-wide trailer and it evolved and grew rapidly,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberto.
LuigiSA国际影视传媒檚 sold deli meat; baked pastas, such as tortellini and ravioli; and pizza baked on cookie sheets. For many, it was the first authentic Italian food they had ever tried.
Roberto recalled a story his neighbour, Brain Piro, told him.
SA国际影视传媒淢y dad walked over to the PiroSA国际影视传媒檚 and asked, SA国际影视传媒楥an you show me how to change the spark plugs? I just need to see it done once, and I got it.SA国际影视传媒� Twenty minutes later, he returned and handed them food. They looked at it and said, SA国际影视传媒業 read about this in an Archie comic: I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 pizza!SA国际影视传媒� It took us 40 years but now everyone is eating pizza.SA国际影视传媒�
Within six months, the eatery took off.
SA国际影视传媒淢y father was really good with numbers so he had calculated, to the exact day, when he could retire from the mine,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberto.
They frequently offered something new, like the first SA国际影视传媒榯ake and bakeSA国际影视传媒� pizzas, and the Co-Op would order a couple hundred of those per week.
Luigi started to import speciality cheeses and meats by request.
SA国际影视传媒淲e also had mining and other work camps buy whole prosciutto from us as it is salt and smoked cured, and they could buy a lot of them and that would help them feed their workers while they were cut off during freeze up and thaw,SA国际影视传媒� Roberto recalled.
Luigi worked quietly and diligently.
SA国际影视传媒淗e would really think about what he said. And basically all were welcome, and he tried to make the same quality of food for everyone,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberto.
In 1986, after 30 years in Yellowknife, the family decided to sell the business and move. Both sisters were at attending classes at the University of British Columbia. So the Fiumes bought a property in West Kelowna, where Melina still lives.
SA国际影视传媒淢y dad didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to leave, that was his baby,SA国际影视传媒� Roberto said of the pizzeria.
Roberto and his family built Ciao Bella Winery in West Kelowna, and over the years, many of LuigiSA国际影视传媒檚 friends made the trip south from Yellowknife to visit them.
Luigi passed away in 2018 at age 87.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 grateful he got to see the start of Ciao Bella,SA国际影视传媒� said Roberto.
In fact, LuigiSA国际影视传媒檚 photo sits on RobertoSA国际影视传媒檚 desk, as though the patriarch is still watching over his family.
