Shortly after Emil Demarco arrived in Lansing from Southern Italy in 1921 for a job at Motor Wheel, he opened a fruit stand on Michigan Avenue that began a tradition of food service that lasted more than 90 years until changing times forced the restaurant to close in 2015.

Like many immigrant families, Emil came to America first and then sent for his spouse Carmella. The fruit stand soon morphed into an ice cream parlor and post Prohibition Emil’s received one of the first tavern license in the city selling beer. In the early 1970s, the tavern was purchased by relatives of the Demarco family, expanded and became a full-service Italian restaurant serving spaghetti, lasagna, manicotti, and cannoli, and of course pizza. Emil’s also became a popular stop for MSU students, especially for all you could eat spaghetti. The transformation came under the watch of Bert DiVetri and Bob Grescowle.

Emil Demarco became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1926. He lived on Clemens Avenue and would walk the couple blocks to work.