Cipriani S.A.

Cipriani S.A. is a privately owned international corporation based in Luxembourg that owns and operates luxury restaurants and clubs around the world including Harry's Bar in Venice and formerly the Rainbow Room in New York City. It specialises in simple, traditional Italian food.

It traces its history to family patriarch Giuseppe Cipriani (1900–1980) who founded Harry's Bar in Venice in 1931. According to the company history, Harry Pickering—a rich, young Bostonian—had been frequenting Hotel Europa in Venice, where Giuseppe Cipriani was a bartender. When Pickering explained that he was broke because his family found out his drinking habits and cut him off financially, Cipriani loaned him 10,000 lire (about $500 US [$7,839 in 2015 dollars]). "Mr. Cipriani, thank you," he said, according to the Cipriani website. Harry's Bar became a popular spot for celebrities like Ernest Hemingway and Humphrey Bogart. The Bellini cocktail and the food dish Carpaccio were reputed to have originated there.

Giuseppe's son Arrigo Cipriani (born 1932) is the majority owner. Arrigo is Italian for Harry. His son Giuseppe Cipriani (born 1965) is the main business manager.

In 1958 the elder Cipriani built the Hotel Cipriani in Venice. In 1967 Cipriani Sr. sold rights to the Cipriani name trademark.

However the family went international in 1985 under the Cipriani name when it opened a Harry's Bar branch in New York City in the Sherry-Netherland Hotel. Within two years they were evicted from the hotel and opened the Cipriani Bellini bar nearby. Eventually they would return to the hotel.

In 1997 the Ciprianis bought 55 Wall Street, noted for its huge ornate former First National Bank lobby. They sold it in 1999 and bought the Bowery Savings Bank building across from Grand Central – again noted for its huge ornate lobby. 55 Wall Street Cipriani's, Grand Central Cipriani's, and Cipriani Tribeca, were designed by Anthony Morali of Morali Architects.

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Wikipedia