I was doing research on the Ravenite Social Club (247 Mulberry St.) and found some interesting stuff out about the history of it. It originally was called “The Raven Knights Social club” until the 1970’s.

A November 15, 1997 article in the New York Daily news by Jerry Capeci says “The Ravenite was opened more than 50 years ago by Gambino mobster Tommy Rava, gaining most of its notoriety during the reign of Gotti”

I’ve also read that Gambino named it after his favorite poem by Edgar Allen Poe.

If Rava really did open it up then I wonder if Dellacroce “inherited” it after Rava’s murder in 1958.