North Philly honors Centro Musical's Gonzalez
Fifty years and three generations of Gonzalezes have run Centro Musical up at Fifth and Lehigh
Nestor Olmo came to North Philadelphia from Puerto Rico and opened the Centro Musical at the old Puerto Rico Theater, Germantown and Susquehanna, back in 1959. His son, William, and William's children Ramon and Maria Christina, have run el Centro from 464 W. Lehigh Ave. - the southern gateway to the Bloque de Oro business district that runs up Fifth Street - since the 1980s.
Julio Olmo, retired real estate agent, says he's worked in el Barrio since the 1960s, and "today the neighborhood is 300 times better." He's a leader of an informal group in the Puerto Rican and diversified Hispanic community -- others are retired El Concilio executive Jose Rivera, Mega Radio 1310 AM WEMG general manager Marc Taub, El Sol reporter Daly Blanco -- who periodically "choose to honor people who have done a positive thing for Philadelphia, in an effort to show the greatness of the people in the 'hood."
Wednesday night they'll gather at Isla Verde Cafe up at Lehigh and American (buffet, half-price drinks) to say "a special thank you" to Gonzalez, a relentless community booster who's being honored, Olmo says, for (for example) starting the Pan American Lions Club, for raising $10,000 from Spanish radio listeners for aid to starving Ethiopians in 1985, and for "financially supporting musicians and helping the new talent in the community" - backing albums by Conjunto Selecion de Philadelphia, the Foto Rodriguez and Hector Lucena orchestras, La Unica, Luis Gonzalez.
Lawyer, sportswriter and Ceiba Inc. director William Gonzalez (no relation) calls Centro Musical "the best place to buy Latin music in the region" and "a gathering spot for the community. Wilfredo is a good soul. He lends his support to causes. He is widely respected." No greater praise for a man who's lasted that long on the Bloque de Oro.