THE IGGY'S FAMILY

It all started with a promise and from there it was built on a vision. Gaetano Gravino was a hairstylist who had found part time work at a doughboy shack in Oakland Beach. This part time work turned into an opportunity that spoke to his entrepreneurial spirit – the same spirit that lives on in his wife and children: Sally, MaryAnn, David, and Guy. When the chance came to lease the establishment, Gaetano and his wife Sally took it. And in 1989, Iggy’s Doughboy and Chowder House was born – coined after a nickname given to him by his son, David. The featured dish at the time was the red chowder – the recipe a family secret created by Sally herself.

The Gravino’s took the helm with the mission of preserving the spirit of the original stand and the goal of keeping the livelihood of the Midway alive – and they did just that. Shortly before David’s father passed away, he asked David to make a promise – to carry on with the family business. Despite being a senior at Johnson & Wales with the open future ahead, he honored his father’s wish and in doing so, had a vision. He saw beyond the stand and the long lines of people waiting for their doughboy fix during the hot summer months. He saw beyond the surrounding area that had fallen into disrepair. He saw the Oakland Beach of long ago married with the Oakland Beach of the future. The realization of this vision then became an integral part of the already important plan.