“The idea was for me to build this and get out,” said Sal Natale, owner of Pugsley’s. “I will never be a pizza man.”
Not a sentence one usually hears from the owner of a pizza place, but Natale is not your typical pizza place owner.
Decorated with wrinkles all across his face and a full head of gray hair that reveal his vast life experience, Natale moves briskly around the kitchen, always keeping himself busy. He mutters under his breath in Italian, and eventually sits to catch his breath and admire the work he and his family have done.
In 1967, Natale journeyed from Sicily to the Big Apple to pursue the “American Dream.” For him, this meant playing the saxophone and opening a pizza place geared to college students. After carefully considering many open lots in the Fordham area, Natale decided on a location to open: a hidden junkyard behind Fordham Road.
“There was no floor, no water, no gas… but I got excited,” said Natale, with his familiar toothy grin and gleaming eyes. Although there were many obstacles to creating a business from scratch, Natale’s ambition and passion were key ingredients in the transformation from a junkyard to his vision of a prime pizza parlor, which is what stands today.
Opened in 1985, Pugsley’s Pizza has been a go-to for Fordham University students for 40 years to grab a slice (or a pie) of pizza and relax in the comforting environment that Pugsley’s offers.
Although the exterior of Puglsey’s remains reminiscent of the junkyard, with a tall metal fence topped with barbed wire enclosing the parlor, the inside is completely different. It is colorful and busy, with pictures, quotes, newspaper clippings and graffiti covering every wall and even reaching the ceiling.
Physically and symbolically, it is the embodiment of Natale. A little rough on the outside, but warm and loving within.
The clippings are not simply symbolic memories and moments from Natale and his family’s lives. They represent everything from the four seasons to the explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle in 1986 as a reminder for students to always have hope. On the wall farthest from the door to the left, a rainbow with clouds at each end covers the wall. Each cloud contains part of a quote meant to inspire viewers. “Do not fear the storm, it will go by. Wait for the rainbow, it will decorate the sky.”
Next to the rainbow, one candle stands with the message, “All the darkness in the world can not extinguish the light of a well-lit candle.” This quote strongly resonated with Natale, especially during the first few months of trying to bring Pugsley’s to life. “I was depressed,” he said with a weak smile. Now, he wants to help others stay positive.
“There is… nobody to clap you or to criticize you or anything,” said Natale, through broken strands of English. No matter who you are or what you do, everyone is welcome at Pugsley’s.
Fordham student Maeve Mcenery, FCRH ’26, spoke on behalf of her friends, saying, “We love Pugsley’s because we feel so welcome there, and it’s just a home base at Fordham.”
Going to Pugsley’s was the highlight of Mcenery and her friend’s first-year, especially when they were able to get to know Natale while munching on their pizza. Some of the most memorable and fun moments, though, were when Natale brought out his saxophone to play for them.
Although he claims he is not very good, Natale loves the saxophone. It has been a constant in his life since he lived in Italy and he loves to improve his skills. Currently, he said he’s starting to improvise when he plays. This is no small feat — it is a testament to Natale’s true musical talent.
“When you enjoy what you do, you don’t work one day in your life,” Natale said while slapping his hand on the table. It is a piece of advice he lives by and urges everyone to follow.
Natale’s passion and love for fostering an inspired student body is not just emulated from his personality or Pugsley’s decorations. It can be tasted in each and every pizza, which, according to Natale, is made with the finest Italian dough, sauce, cheeses and, most importantly, love.
Love is the most valued quality at Pugsley’s. Natale and his family love where they live, what they do and who they serve. They love the pizza they make, and they especially love to show their love by serving iconic heart-shaped pizza. Why not show love on their sleeves and in their pizza?
Natale’s love for Pugsley’s was clearly expressed in his farewell to me. His lips quivered as tears leaked out of his almost closed eyes, which he quickly wiped away with his red-and-white striped button-up shirt.
“I wanna leave you with this. To Gabriella: Pugsley’s wishes you a lot of things, a lot of beautiful things. Most of all, this: capture the spirit of the moment, and unleash your own potential. Follow your heart and do not let anybody or anything steal your dreams. If you have a song to sing, sing it. If you have a bell to ring, ring it. If you ever started to tell, tell it. Honor your parents, love yourself and everybody else.”
