Laurenzo's Past, Present & Future - 

Laurenzo's Italian Center, featuring our old fashioned market, wine shop and Café and separate Farmer's Market Across the parking lot is a tribute to those who came before us. I am talking about our parents and grandparents who have taught all of us how to love, how to live, how to work, and how to cook.

Laurenzo's is a reminder of the past for friends and family to reminisce and remember the Italian immigrant experience of the previous generations who came to America to work, educate themselves, and become proud families and citizens and contribute to their community and their neighborhood.

Laurenzo's homemade foods and recipes honor the small four-burner stove, the ice box, the milk box, the linoleum floors, the metal kitchen table, the table set in the living room, a gallon of wine, homemade anisette, pasta drying on the bed, dented coffee pots, wine with soda, homemade salami, old ladies sitting outside snapping peas, the candy store, Malted's, pigeons on the roof, the baker, the butcher, the pushcarts, the ice man, the coal man, the milk man, social clubs, the priests, the nuns, stickball games, pats on the head, kick in the pants, the tears, the headaches, the struggles, the smiles, but most of all, the respect and dignity of all of those Italians and all immigrants who came before us.

We remember the family and staff who worked very hard to bring us to this present day where many things remain the same (which many customers love) and also some changes, which have to be to evolve with times. Today's customers and friends are enjoying a greater selection of prepared foods and fresh cooked items to go from our Deli/Hot Deli Sandwich counter and Café restaurant and an increased selection at our Seafood Corner of Ready to eat fresh cooked seafood - featuring clams, shrimp, lobster, stone crabs in season, fresh fish, prepared salads, soups and bisques, side dishes, and entrees.

We are in the final stage of redeveloping our website to offer our homemade products and Italian imported an domestic, and international specialties from around the world to our long time friends and customers who have moved away and who continue to write, call, and fax us to ship or products to them all over America for "their" brand of canned tomatoes and olive oil to our homemade sausage and meatballs, fresh mozzarella and proscuitto, stone crabs and homemade Frutta di Mare, to fresh pasta and wine, beads cakes, pastries, and cannolis.

The present is bright and exciting at Laurenzo's as with the City of North Miami Beach, especially concerning the current Smart Growth process. The redevelopment throughout the city will improve the quality of life for all residents as the goal is to balance this redevelopment while addressing business owners's and resident's priorities. Concerning the Fulford 164th Street Hanford Boulevard improvements, Laurenzo's must keep in mind a also keeping in mind the function of the commerce portion of the operation which includes product delivery via large trucks.

combination approach of improving our property in harmony with the appearance and design elements of Hanford Blvd (district). Under consideration are designs reminiscent of an Italian square or piazza with columns and arches, walkways and fountains as elements of property, also keeping in mind the function of the commerce portion of the operation which includes product delivery via large trucks.

It is tantamount to remain and retain our old fashioned, "New York", Italian American 1950s atmosphere and ambiance as a large percentage of residents and visitors say never change your store/market as it inspires warm, precious moments from the good old days which do not exist anymore. For a moment, a "snapshop" in time, the food and wine, sights, sounds, and smells remind them of a simpler, happier, safer time. At the same time we understand and recognize that not everyone has or understand these memories and experiences and would love to see the property and building improvements fit in with the surrounding community, new developments and retail stores in the area.

For more information you can visit Laurenzo's web site at www.laurenzosmarket.com