Genova Delicatessen Shuts Down Oakland Ravioli Factory

Genova’s Delicatessen was a Temescal mainstay for years before it shuttered last spring due to a rent increase, and the costs of doing business in Oakland. At the time, the family said they would keep their ravioli factory on Broadway open, as well as their other deli in Napa.

Genova/Facebook

Now, almost exactly one year later, the family has decided to shutter the ravioli factory, their last remaining Oakland stronghold, and transfer business operations to Napa. According to a statement on its Facebook page, the ravioli factory has been under siege by vandals and graffiti artists that have added to the excessive costs of doing business in the area. The family cited a cost of $15,000 to replace factory windows recently, after graffiti was etched into them across the front of the building, though the distance between their two stores also played a part. They also had some pointed words for Oakland’s Mayor and city government, who they said did nothing to assist them with their issues.

Below is the statement in full:

Genova Ravioli Factory closes its doors 1 year after closing the flagship store on Telegraph Avenue, a Temescal landmark since 1926. After 90 years in business in Oakland, Genova now closes its Ravioli Factory which was relocated to Broadway after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 damaged the Original Genova Delicatessen & Ravioli Factory.Partially due to the distance from the Napa Genova Deli and mostly due to the vandalism and graffiti, the family has decided to move out of Oakland & run operations from the Napa store.

Graffiti and vandalism continued to be a daily threat despite reporting numerous complaints and requests for assistance from City Government. Just recently, $15,000 worth of damage was done to the windows when graffiti was etched into the windows across the entire front of the building. We have to send out employees to repaint the entire building almost weekly and decided after a long and heartfelt resolution we must leave Oakland.

We hope by going public with our reason for moving from Oakland that the new owners of the building will be protected from the vandalism. With the regeneration of Broadway and all the new building going on, it is a mystery to me why graffiti and vandalism is allowed to flourish and I wonder why requests for assistance from the Mayor and City Government goes unanswered. With great saddness in our hearts we say goodbye to all our Oakland customers who have supported us over the last 90 years and hope that if you are in Napa Valley you will stop in to say hello.

Sincerely,

The Dominic DeVincenzi Family

The news follows this week’s announcement that fellow Italian institution, AG Ferrari, would shutter its four remaining Bay Area delis to focus on their line of packaged foods. AG Ferrari enjoyed 98 years in business, while Genova had been in Oakland for 91 years.

Stay tuned for more.

• Genova shutters ravioli factory in Oakland [SFGate]
• Temescal's Genova Delicatessen Will Close April 30 [ESF]
• 98-Year-Old AG Ferrari to Shutter All Bay Area Locations Permanently [ESF]