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In the 1950s the Smaldone name was notorious in Denver’s mob scene and Gaetano’s was the family’s crime headquarters. Though their money was made by breaking the law, it was notoriously used to benefit the community, from helping with groceries to secretly paying college tuitions. For some, the Smaldones were simply local philanthropists, with a dark side.
You can still feel the memories of the Smaldone brothers – Clyde, Checkers and Chauncey – saturated into Gaetano’s. From Clyde’s barstool farthest from the door to Chauncey’s table in the far back, the restaurant remains much the same since the last remodel in 1973.
– Jane Dvorak, SLJ 100 Communications