Tower of Pizza Las Vegas 1964 Mug

Tower of Pizza opened its doors to the denizens of the Las Vegas Strip back in 1964. Behind the business with the iconic leaning tower neon sign was Gaspare "Jasper" Speciale, a well-known bookie and loan shark from New York. Serving traditional New York style pizza and authentic Italian dishes into the small hours, Tower of Pizza quickly became the late night spot for entertainers to grab a bite after performing at the casinos. The joint was also known as a mob hang-out where many deals went down in the dark corners and back rooms over the years. In 1979 Speciale sold the business to Bobby Capozzoli, the son of a California restaurateur who'd moved to Vegas. In the mid '80s, when the rent tripled, Capozzoli moved it out to Boulder Highway.