Carol Grimaldi

Carol Grimaldi (née Lancieri, May 20, 1938 – April 10, 2014) was an American restaurateur and co-founder of Grimaldi's Pizzeria.^[1]

In 1933, her uncle, Pasquale Lancieri, founded the Patsy's Pizzeria in Harlem, which was one of the first pizzerias in Harlem.^[2] The Harlem-born Grimaldi and her husband were forced to change the name from Patsy's to Grimaldi's in the mid-1990s, due to a dispute with another restaurant.^[3] Eight years after the opening of the pizzeria, Grimaldi and her husband sold the pizzeria, and retired from the restaurant business.^[4][5] While still remaining in different business enterprises throughout the years, including Juliana's Pizzeria, the couple decided to re-open the former pizzeria business in 2011.^[6]

Juliana's is located near the location of Grimaldi's, and serves modern-style pizzas.^[3][7]

The couple was interviewed about pizza-eating techniques on NPR in 2014.^[8] As of 2014, the Grimaldi brand has become global.^[9]

Personal life

Carol Grimaldi died of cancer in 2014 in Queens, New York, aged 75. She had been battling cancer for more than a year at the time of her death. She was survived by her husband/business partner, Pasquale Grimaldi.^[10]