Manganaro’s, a feature of 9th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen since 1893, has closed. For the first time in over 100 years, the block between W37th and W38th Street will not display the Manganaro family name. Manganaro’s was renowned for its six-foot long hero sandwich, and historically had a reputation to rival Baldacci’s, Zabar’s and Dean & Deluca. It was acclaimed by the New York Times in 1963 as “one of New York’s most impressive halls of gastronomy.”

In 1920, Neapolitan immigrant James Manganaro took over the deli at 488 Ninth Avenue from his uncle, Ernest Petrucci, who opened his store in 1893. In its place, he created the classic New York eatery, Manganaro Grosseria Italiana. Then in 1956, with business booming, the family bought the vacant store next door, to create the Heroboy sandwich shop.