The Continental was a social club runned by Fizz Astaire and the Cuneo crime family in Little Italy. They had such a high opinion of the business that they refused to run any rackets out of it. It was seen as a neutral ground, as such even rival family enforcer Johnny Trapani considered it one of his favourite nightspots. Aldo Trapani confronted Astaire at sometime in 1946 and convinced him to pay protection money to the Corleone crime family. In the 1950s, the Corleones allowed one of their most trusted associates to sell the 'Black Widow' revolver here for $300,000 dollars.