That's the Famous Willie Mosconi of Willie's....
With my mother and father (Tony and Mary Ermie) at Nestorest. (late 50's)
When I was twelve I asked Willie for a job. This was when he had his stand on the beach. He told me it was against the law for me go to work and that I could get in trouble for it. He then said, "I'll pay you 25 cents and hour IF you promise to never tell anyone I hired you, or you'll go to jail!" I'LL go to jail?! :)
Never told anyone and busted my butt hauling cases of soda in and out of Willie's for a whole 25 cents an hour! I kept HIM out'a jail!. :)
While Willie was a tough guy to work for (Pete and I worked every summer for him over the next five or six years), eventually, he did pay well. By that I mean I worked 60 - 90 hours a week during the summer! Of course I had all those free hot dogs and pizza's!
Working at Willie's was an incredible experience. He was, to say the least, different. Always a lot of fun, easy going and a generous guy, except when it was time to get the orders out.
He could blister you good if things weren't happening fast enough. Then, at the end of the week, he'd give you a $30 or $40 bonus! Back in the late fifties that was a huge "bonus," especially for a kid.