DEVITIS ITALIAN MARKET

The cornerstone of DeVitis & Sons was set by Italian immigrant Frank DeVitis, who came to the United States in the mid-1920s. A decade later, Frank was a partner in Mass Market Produce, a small operation with outlets in downtown Akron. In the early 1950s, he opened Frank's Fruits & Vegetables in a converted gas station on East Tallmadge Avenue. At that time Angelo DeVitis, Frank's oldest son, was 20 years old and joined his father in the family business.

Today, DeVitis Market is an Akron tradition. Using the same techniques and recipes of 40 years ago, the DeVitis family continues to create fresh Italian food. DeVitis remains a place for people receive friendly service from knowledgable, caring personnel. The DeVitis family is proud of all of its products, including homemade Italian sausage, a longtime customer favorite. DeVitis carries three varieties of homemade sausage hot and Sicilian.Hours of operation

Monday - Saturday 8:30am to 6pm (Eastern Standard Time)

Sunday 9am to 1pm

After three years in business, the family moved the store to an old building next to a corner gas station. Angelo remembers a few Italian items that they stocked at that time. "We began with basics like pasta, tomato paste and cheese, " Angelo said. In 1960, they opened a new store at 560 East Tallmadge Avenue, and changed the name of the company to DeVitis & Sons Italian Food & Produce, Inc. "Frank's Fruits & Vegetables didn't give us an identity, so we opted for a unique title, " Angelo said. As a result of the expansion, the business gradually developed into a full-scale Italian grocery store, complete with meat and produce departments and all varieties of Italian foods.

Following the death of Frank in 1966, the third generation of the DeVitis family became instrumental in the continuation of the business. The store remained DeVitis & Sons, but now it was Angelo and his twin sons, David and Robert, who kept alive the spirit of the business. The twins grew up working in the store, and were prepared to accept key roles in daily operations. "We started out working for 50 cents an hour, sweeping floors and taking care of soda pop bottles. We were about 13 when we started, and as we got older we began bagging groceries. Eventually, however, we learned enough to help Dad run the store and involve ouselves in decisions that would determine the future of the business, " David said.

According to Tony, DeVitis & Sons produces more than 32 tons of sausage each year.