Thought Paper 9: North Beach/Little Italy

Kendall Steele

17 November 2012

FYS: Discovering San Francisco

Professor Asher

Little Italy

Getting to North Beach was quite a trip. First, we got on the 5. After riding the five all the way to Kearny, I dismounted off the platform and waited for another bus. As I got on the 31 I was surprised by the amount of Hawaiian t-shirts and flip-flops that surrounded me. I wasn’t headed towards an airport or a tourist destination, or so I thought. To my surprise, the signage of North Beach was identifying with a specific demographic, tourists. North Beach, commonly referred to as Little Italy, is a place where non San Franciscan natives flock. The streets are constantly buzzing, and the clicking of cameras seizes to stop. The signage of this district appeals to this specific demographic. Let me explain.

As I was walking through Little Italy, I came across a sign that read “Tony’s Pizza Napoletana.” How Italian is that? This signage is a great example of the rhetorical strategies this district is using to uphold a certain reputation. This pizza joint is clearly portraying itself as a very Italian restaurant, something equivalent to the real deal in Rome or Tuscany.  Using a generic Italian name and actually incorporating an Italian word, makes this sign look authentic, which in turn will appeal to tourists who are looking for a realistic taste of Italy. Now I would like to discuss another form of signage I discovered while touring the district.

Italians are known for their love of sports, specifically the sport of soccer, referred to as football by Italians. The art and craftsmanship of sport is something that Italians hold dear to their hearts, right before family and right after food. Therefore, sports clubs are a common occurrence in Italian towns and cities. Staying true to the authenticity of Italy, Little Italy has its very own Italian Athletic Club. This signage I have is a stencil that was applied on one of the walls of the club. The sign is facing the busy communal street that many tourists use as they pass by. The colors of the Italian flag and the use of wings are very Italian.

Overall, the district is holding on to the roots of its founders, immigrants from Europe, specifically Italy. Little Italy is a great place to visit, because as someone familiar with Italian culture, you feel as though you are transported across sees onto another continent where the cuisine is top priority.