on the side streets of new york

Sevilla — 62 Charles StreetWhen Bienvenido Alvarez and his wife left the city of Ourense, Spain in 1973, they did not know when they would see their children again. Looking for a better life in Manhattan, where Bienvenido’s brother worked at Sevilla, the couple arrived to the sight of the Twin Towers being built. Bienvenido’s American life grew in tandem with the skyscrapers, working as a waiter in the mornings and learning English in the afternoons. After months of this hard work, he and his brother, Jose, bought the restaurant, which remains open seven days a week, just as it had years ago. It was not until 1976 that Bienvenido and his wife were able to bring their children to New York.

To read more, visit Manhattan Sideways (sideways.nyc), created by Betsy Bober Polivy.