Mitchell Romeo

Michael Quinton"Mitchell" Romeo (born September 30, 1883 in Marianopoli, Sicily; died July 31, 1949 in Mountain Brook) was a bandleader, restaurateur and real estate executive.

Romeo was the oldest of five children born to Francesco "Frank" and Elisabetta "Elizabeth" or "Lizzie" Romeo of Sicily. The family immigrated to the United States in 1892. His parents operated a grocery store at the corner of 24th Street and Avenue C in Southside. Mitchell attended St Paul's Catholic School and served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War.

As a young man Mitchell Romeo performed as a professional musician and was a charter member of the Birmingham Musicians' Protective Association. He married the former Virginia Theresa Burnabo, who immigrated from Italy in 1906, and had two sons: Frank and Alfred in 1909 and 1910. His Romeo Orchestra enjoyed popularity through the 1920s as the house band for his brother's Italian Garden nightclub. The family resided at 3100 6th Avenue South.

Romeo's father died in July 1922. On October 22, 1923 his mother, Lizzie, and sister, Juliet Vigilante, were robbed and murdered with a meat cleaver at their home behind Barnard Vigilante's butcher shop at 210 21st Street South. The attacker, whom Juliet described as a "tall, slender negro" before she died, escaped with $60 from the shop. Her 3-year-old daughter, Caroline was present but not harmed. The attack came during a rash of similar incidents targeting immigrant shop owners which came to be blamed on an "axe syndicate".

By 1930 Romeo was primarily working as a real estate salesman and his son, Frank, then 21, was engaged in radio sales. In that year's census the household included a full-time gardener, Henry Smiley. Mitchell and Theresa opened Romeo's Grill at the corner of 20th Street and 5th Avenue South in the 1930s. He built the restaurant's tables and booths himself from cherry wood. Their younger son Alfred became a partner in the business in the 1940s.

Romeo died at his home at the corner of Old Leeds Road and Pine Ridge Road in Mountain Brook in July 1949 after a long illness. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery.

References

• "Michael Q. Romeo." obituary (August 1, 1949) The Birmingham Post, p. 7

External links

• Michael Romeo at Findagrave.com