Flo Consiglio, matriarch of Sally's, dies

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- A legend in the pizza business in New Haven has died. Flora Consiglio, the matriarch of New Haven's famous Sally's Apizza, passed away Monday night.

Known to many as 'Flo,' she was a larger than life fixture in the community.

"She was not only a prominent figure in the business, but in the whole neighborhood," said Reinaldo Cotto, friend of Flo. "She was a mother figure to all the children in the neighborhood, they've known her for a long time. Basically she was a phenomenal person."

Her husband Salvatore opened the family-owned pizzeria back in 1938 and it's been a slice of New Haven history, in which many have reveled, ever since.

"She's known a lot of famous people: President Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, the Sinatras...so she was very well liked and she'll be very missed," Cotto said. "I miss her already."

The city's Mayor left flowers and a note at Sally's, in which he calls Flo a "daughter of New Haven." He says: "like lots of New Haveners, we went there on dates, when our children were born, and on times when we wanted to go to a place which was family."

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro calls Flo "a real hero to our family and a hero to her generation." She goes on to say that Flo was "always warm and welcoming...she was also a tough businesswoman and was never afraid to speak her mind."

"It's definitely a huge loss to the community," said Frank Riggione, Frank Pepe's Pizza manager. "Just like Pepe's, Sally's is an institution, that people make their destination, so we're all really saddened to hear about it."

Folks have been stopping by all day long to offer their condolences to the family, including the New Haven Fire Dept., who left a note thanking Flo for everything she did for them. While the restaurant won't be open until Oct. 2nd, folks say they're eager to get back inside and taste their favorite pizza, even though many say their favorite ingredient will be missing.