Frank Stephen Coniglio, the jovial husband of Palm Beach Mayor Gail Coniglio and the restaurateur behind popular E.R. Bradley's Saloon.
The Coniglios opened E.R. Bradley's in 1983 as a restaurant and bar in Palm Beach but it is today a fixture of West Palm Beach's lakefront. In addition, Mr. Coniglio and his family bought or opened several other Palm Beach restaurants, including Royal Poinciana Way's original Cucina dell'Arte, today Cucina; and the old Nick & Johnnie's.
Although Gail Coniglio served two terms on the Town Council before her election as mayor in 2011, Mr. Coniglio preferred to stay out of her political spotlight, rarely weighing in publicly on issues affecting the town.Mr. Coniglio was born to Stephen and Anna DeStefano Coniglio and raised in an Italian-American family in Washington, D.C. After attending 12 years of Catholic school, Mr. Coniglio spent four years in the Marine Corps, where he acquired the nickname "Mad Dog."
He then took classes in banking at American University before turning his attention to selling real estate in the Washington, D.C., and Maryland markets. He proved adept at it, and in 1965, Mr. Coniglio was named the youngest million-dollar seller in the field, according to a tribute prepared by his family and sent to the Daily News."Ironically, this occurred while he was also the youngest broker in Maryland at an agency bearing the moniker of Smile Realty, which was a perfect match in name and form, as Frank held a firm adherence to the motto 'service with a smile,'" the tribute said. But his career took him into the hospitality industry, capitalizing on a longtime interest, Mr. Coniglio told the Palm Beach Post in a 1999 interview, before E.R. Bradley's Saloon opened on South Flagler Drive. "When I grew up in Washington, D.C., there was a bar across the street called Eddie's Friendly Tavern. I was fascinated with it — the music, seeing the people laughing and having fun," he told the newspaper. The food-and-beverage industry was a natural fit for him. Friends and family have often described Mr. Coniglio as a consummate, fun-loving host who knew how to make guests feel welcome over food and drink.
"The life of any party, he was constantly creating friendships, most lasting his entire lifetime," his family's tribute said. Mr. Coniglio launched the careers of several bands during his years in bars and nightclubs, his family said, but especially when he managed the iconic Hurricane Nightclub in Ocean City, Maryland. His success led to owning restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. In 1976, he married Gail Kingsbury in Maryland, and by 1982, when they moved to Palm Beach, they had three children. The family later expanded to include three more, many of whom would work in the family business. In December 1983, Mr. Coniglio and his wife opened E.R. Bradley's Saloon in leased space on the ground floor of the 1920s-era hotel — then known as the Bradley House — at the corner of Bradley Place and Sunset Avenue. After the restaurant and bar lost its lease in 1999, Mr. Conglio regrouped and worked a deal for the site facing Flagler Drive at Clematis Street. The Coniglios moved the establishment and their employees there, expanding from the original 140 seats to 350. The place became a downtown hotspot, fueled by the recent revitalization of the city's waterfront area. The establishment was named for the late Edward R. Bradley, a businessman, philanthropist and racehorse owner who for decades co-owned the Beach Club, a gambling casino that opened in the late 1890s on the site of what is today Bradley Park in Palm Beach. Mr. Coniglio — a founding member of an informal group called the Palm Beach Poker Club — described Bradley as his hero, according to his family. For years, Mr. Coniglio nurtured a passion for thoroughbreds and racing and owned and bred horses over the years. With close friends John Surovek and Sid Ritman, Mr. Coniglio invested in several commercial properties in Palm Beach County, including the landmarked mixed-use building on the corner of Royal Poinciana Way and Bradley Place. "Frank's word was his bond, and he often eschewed formalities for a good handshake — even more so, a great hug," his family's tribute said. Mr. Coniglio, a member of St. Edward Church in Palm Beach, cherished the time he spent with his family. He required mandatory attendance by all at Sunday dinner each week, his wife said. At those dinners, Mr. Coniglio focused on his children, she added, "delighting in their successes, commiserating in their failures and supplying endless 'straight-shooting' advice with a smile and a kiss."
The Coniglios opened E.R. Bradley's in 1983 as a restaurant and bar in Palm Beach but it is today a fixture of West Palm Beach's lakefront. In addition, Mr. Coniglio and his family bought or opened several other Palm Beach restaurants, including Royal Poinciana Way's original Cucina dell'Arte, today Cucina; and the old Nick & Johnnie's.
Although Gail Coniglio served two terms on the Town Council before her election as mayor in 2011, Mr. Coniglio preferred to stay out of her political spotlight, rarely weighing in publicly on issues affecting the town.Mr. Coniglio was born to Stephen and Anna DeStefano Coniglio and raised in an Italian-American family in Washington, D.C. After attending 12 years of Catholic school, Mr. Coniglio spent four years in the Marine Corps, where he acquired the nickname "Mad Dog."
He then took classes in banking at American University before turning his attention to selling real estate in the Washington, D.C., and Maryland markets. He proved adept at it, and in 1965, Mr. Coniglio was named the youngest million-dollar seller in the field, according to a tribute prepared by his family and sent to the Daily News."Ironically, this occurred while he was also the youngest broker in Maryland at an agency bearing the moniker of Smile Realty, which was a perfect match in name and form, as Frank held a firm adherence to the motto 'service with a smile,'" the tribute said. But his career took him into the hospitality industry, capitalizing on a longtime interest, Mr. Coniglio told the Palm Beach Post in a 1999 interview, before E.R. Bradley's Saloon opened on South Flagler Drive. "When I grew up in Washington, D.C., there was a bar across the street called Eddie's Friendly Tavern. I was fascinated with it — the music, seeing the people laughing and having fun," he told the newspaper. The food-and-beverage industry was a natural fit for him. Friends and family have often described Mr. Coniglio as a consummate, fun-loving host who knew how to make guests feel welcome over food and drink.
"The life of any party, he was constantly creating friendships, most lasting his entire lifetime," his family's tribute said. Mr. Coniglio launched the careers of several bands during his years in bars and nightclubs, his family said, but especially when he managed the iconic Hurricane Nightclub in Ocean City, Maryland. His success led to owning restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. In 1976, he married Gail Kingsbury in Maryland, and by 1982, when they moved to Palm Beach, they had three children. The family later expanded to include three more, many of whom would work in the family business. In December 1983, Mr. Coniglio and his wife opened E.R. Bradley's Saloon in leased space on the ground floor of the 1920s-era hotel — then known as the Bradley House — at the corner of Bradley Place and Sunset Avenue. After the restaurant and bar lost its lease in 1999, Mr. Conglio regrouped and worked a deal for the site facing Flagler Drive at Clematis Street. The Coniglios moved the establishment and their employees there, expanding from the original 140 seats to 350. The place became a downtown hotspot, fueled by the recent revitalization of the city's waterfront area. The establishment was named for the late Edward R. Bradley, a businessman, philanthropist and racehorse owner who for decades co-owned the Beach Club, a gambling casino that opened in the late 1890s on the site of what is today Bradley Park in Palm Beach. Mr. Coniglio — a founding member of an informal group called the Palm Beach Poker Club — described Bradley as his hero, according to his family. For years, Mr. Coniglio nurtured a passion for thoroughbreds and racing and owned and bred horses over the years. With close friends John Surovek and Sid Ritman, Mr. Coniglio invested in several commercial properties in Palm Beach County, including the landmarked mixed-use building on the corner of Royal Poinciana Way and Bradley Place. "Frank's word was his bond, and he often eschewed formalities for a good handshake — even more so, a great hug," his family's tribute said. Mr. Coniglio, a member of St. Edward Church in Palm Beach, cherished the time he spent with his family. He required mandatory attendance by all at Sunday dinner each week, his wife said. At those dinners, Mr. Coniglio focused on his children, she added, "delighting in their successes, commiserating in their failures and supplying endless 'straight-shooting' advice with a smile and a kiss."
Frank Stephen Coniglio, the jovial husband of Palm Beach Mayor Gail Coniglio and the restaurateur behind popular E.R. Bradley's Saloon.
The Coniglios opened E.R. Bradley's in 1983 as a restaurant and bar in Palm Beach but it is today a fixture of West Palm Beach's lakefront. In addition, Mr. Coniglio and his family bought or opened several other Palm Beach restaurants, including Royal Poinciana Way's original Cucina dell'Arte, today Cucina; and the old Nick & Johnnie's.
Although Gail Coniglio served two terms on the Town Council before her election as mayor in 2011, Mr. Coniglio preferred to stay out of her political spotlight, rarely weighing in publicly on issues affecting the town.Mr. Coniglio was born to Stephen and Anna DeStefano Coniglio and raised in an Italian-American family in Washington, D.C. After attending 12 years of Catholic school, Mr. Coniglio spent four years in the Marine Corps, where he acquired the nickname "Mad Dog."
He then took classes in banking at American University before turning his attention to selling real estate in the Washington, D.C., and Maryland markets. He proved adept at it, and in 1965, Mr. Coniglio was named the youngest million-dollar seller in the field, according to a tribute prepared by his family and sent to the Daily News."Ironically, this occurred while he was also the youngest broker in Maryland at an agency bearing the moniker of Smile Realty, which was a perfect match in name and form, as Frank held a firm adherence to the motto 'service with a smile,'" the tribute said. But his career took him into the hospitality industry, capitalizing on a longtime interest, Mr. Coniglio told the Palm Beach Post in a 1999 interview, before E.R. Bradley's Saloon opened on South Flagler Drive. "When I grew up in Washington, D.C., there was a bar across the street called Eddie's Friendly Tavern. I was fascinated with it — the music, seeing the people laughing and having fun," he told the newspaper. The food-and-beverage industry was a natural fit for him. Friends and family have often described Mr. Coniglio as a consummate, fun-loving host who knew how to make guests feel welcome over food and drink.
"The life of any party, he was constantly creating friendships, most lasting his entire lifetime," his family's tribute said. Mr. Coniglio launched the careers of several bands during his years in bars and nightclubs, his family said, but especially when he managed the iconic Hurricane Nightclub in Ocean City, Maryland. His success led to owning restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. In 1976, he married Gail Kingsbury in Maryland, and by 1982, when they moved to Palm Beach, they had three children. The family later expanded to include three more, many of whom would work in the family business. In December 1983, Mr. Coniglio and his wife opened E.R. Bradley's Saloon in leased space on the ground floor of the 1920s-era hotel — then known as the Bradley House — at the corner of Bradley Place and Sunset Avenue. After the restaurant and bar lost its lease in 1999, Mr. Conglio regrouped and worked a deal for the site facing Flagler Drive at Clematis Street. The Coniglios moved the establishment and their employees there, expanding from the original 140 seats to 350. The place became a downtown hotspot, fueled by the recent revitalization of the city's waterfront area. The establishment was named for the late Edward R. Bradley, a businessman, philanthropist and racehorse owner who for decades co-owned the Beach Club, a gambling casino that opened in the late 1890s on the site of what is today Bradley Park in Palm Beach. Mr. Coniglio — a founding member of an informal group called the Palm Beach Poker Club — described Bradley as his hero, according to his family. For years, Mr. Coniglio nurtured a passion for thoroughbreds and racing and owned and bred horses over the years. With close friends John Surovek and Sid Ritman, Mr. Coniglio invested in several commercial properties in Palm Beach County, including the landmarked mixed-use building on the corner of Royal Poinciana Way and Bradley Place. "Frank's word was his bond, and he often eschewed formalities for a good handshake — even more so, a great hug," his family's tribute said. Mr. Coniglio, a member of St. Edward Church in Palm Beach, cherished the time he spent with his family. He required mandatory attendance by all at Sunday dinner each week, his wife said. At those dinners, Mr. Coniglio focused on his children, she added, "delighting in their successes, commiserating in their failures and supplying endless 'straight-shooting' advice with a smile and a kiss."
The Coniglios opened E.R. Bradley's in 1983 as a restaurant and bar in Palm Beach but it is today a fixture of West Palm Beach's lakefront. In addition, Mr. Coniglio and his family bought or opened several other Palm Beach restaurants, including Royal Poinciana Way's original Cucina dell'Arte, today Cucina; and the old Nick & Johnnie's.
Although Gail Coniglio served two terms on the Town Council before her election as mayor in 2011, Mr. Coniglio preferred to stay out of her political spotlight, rarely weighing in publicly on issues affecting the town.Mr. Coniglio was born to Stephen and Anna DeStefano Coniglio and raised in an Italian-American family in Washington, D.C. After attending 12 years of Catholic school, Mr. Coniglio spent four years in the Marine Corps, where he acquired the nickname "Mad Dog."
He then took classes in banking at American University before turning his attention to selling real estate in the Washington, D.C., and Maryland markets. He proved adept at it, and in 1965, Mr. Coniglio was named the youngest million-dollar seller in the field, according to a tribute prepared by his family and sent to the Daily News."Ironically, this occurred while he was also the youngest broker in Maryland at an agency bearing the moniker of Smile Realty, which was a perfect match in name and form, as Frank held a firm adherence to the motto 'service with a smile,'" the tribute said. But his career took him into the hospitality industry, capitalizing on a longtime interest, Mr. Coniglio told the Palm Beach Post in a 1999 interview, before E.R. Bradley's Saloon opened on South Flagler Drive. "When I grew up in Washington, D.C., there was a bar across the street called Eddie's Friendly Tavern. I was fascinated with it — the music, seeing the people laughing and having fun," he told the newspaper. The food-and-beverage industry was a natural fit for him. Friends and family have often described Mr. Coniglio as a consummate, fun-loving host who knew how to make guests feel welcome over food and drink.
"The life of any party, he was constantly creating friendships, most lasting his entire lifetime," his family's tribute said. Mr. Coniglio launched the careers of several bands during his years in bars and nightclubs, his family said, but especially when he managed the iconic Hurricane Nightclub in Ocean City, Maryland. His success led to owning restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. In 1976, he married Gail Kingsbury in Maryland, and by 1982, when they moved to Palm Beach, they had three children. The family later expanded to include three more, many of whom would work in the family business. In December 1983, Mr. Coniglio and his wife opened E.R. Bradley's Saloon in leased space on the ground floor of the 1920s-era hotel — then known as the Bradley House — at the corner of Bradley Place and Sunset Avenue. After the restaurant and bar lost its lease in 1999, Mr. Conglio regrouped and worked a deal for the site facing Flagler Drive at Clematis Street. The Coniglios moved the establishment and their employees there, expanding from the original 140 seats to 350. The place became a downtown hotspot, fueled by the recent revitalization of the city's waterfront area. The establishment was named for the late Edward R. Bradley, a businessman, philanthropist and racehorse owner who for decades co-owned the Beach Club, a gambling casino that opened in the late 1890s on the site of what is today Bradley Park in Palm Beach. Mr. Coniglio — a founding member of an informal group called the Palm Beach Poker Club — described Bradley as his hero, according to his family. For years, Mr. Coniglio nurtured a passion for thoroughbreds and racing and owned and bred horses over the years. With close friends John Surovek and Sid Ritman, Mr. Coniglio invested in several commercial properties in Palm Beach County, including the landmarked mixed-use building on the corner of Royal Poinciana Way and Bradley Place. "Frank's word was his bond, and he often eschewed formalities for a good handshake — even more so, a great hug," his family's tribute said. Mr. Coniglio, a member of St. Edward Church in Palm Beach, cherished the time he spent with his family. He required mandatory attendance by all at Sunday dinner each week, his wife said. At those dinners, Mr. Coniglio focused on his children, she added, "delighting in their successes, commiserating in their failures and supplying endless 'straight-shooting' advice with a smile and a kiss."
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