History of B. Levaggi

It was the mid 1800s when 9 and 7 year old Bernardo and GB Levaggi left the dock of Lucca, Italy alone with money sewn into their coat linings. Months later, they arrived in Plymouth (or Pokerville as it was then called) and soon were employed at the General Mercantile Store on Main Street. Eventually the brothers bought the General Store and became pillars of the community.  

Italian immigrants headed for the heart of the Gold Rush were often instructed to go directly to The B. Levaggi General Mercantile Store to find G.B. and Bernardo Levaggi, who were often seated on the bench in front of their store.  Bernardo and GB would help the newcomers to acquire jobs, a home, community and friendships. 

​​GB & B Levaggi eventually had additional mercantile, whiskey, olive oil and real estate businesses in San Francisco. They were on the founding board of the Bank of Italy, also known as The People’s Bank, which later became Bank of America. Their close relative Angelo J. Rossi (born in Volcano) became the 31 st mayor of San Francisco. Rossi was the first mayor of 100% Italian decent of a major U.S. city. He served for three terms from 1931-1944.