CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — October is Italian Heritage Month. 7 Action News Reporter Tiarra Braddock takes us inside a family-owned grocery store with Italian roots that’s been serving Macomb County for decades.
The owners of Vince and Joe’s Gourmet Markets are celebrating 40 years in business. The business has been in the Vitale family for three generations.
“I’m really proud and really happy to be able to accomplish this,” said Mimma Vitale.
In 1983, Mimma Vitale opened the first Vince and Joe’s Market with her husband Vince, brother-in-law Joe, and his wife Maria.
40 years later, the Vitales now have two grocery stores. One of the stores is in Clinton Township and the other one is in Shelby Township. Both stores offer a variety of products including authentic Italian goods.
“I am from Italy, I was born over there and I was able to pick figs out of the tree and harvest oil with my father. And I love to bring high-quality products from Sicily, from Italy,” said Mimma Vitale.
Vince and Joe’s is truly a family-run business. Mimma Vitale’s children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews all help out at the stores.
“So thankful for my parents, my aunt, and uncle for starting this wonderful business, it’s a blessing,” said Vince Vitale, Mimma’s son.
He says his family’s businesses have lasted this long because they are open to learning and adapting.
“Just always keeping an open eye, learning and bringing in new items that people want and growing with the times,” said Vince Vitale.
The Vitales say Vince and Joe’s wouldn’t be here today without their loyal customers. Rina Chirico has been coming to Vince and Joe’s for 30 years.
“The food, it’s fresh, the quality, the people, especially the people, they’re very, very nice,” said Chirico.
For some customers, they shop at Vince and Joe’s because they can find Italian products they can’t get anywhere else.
“The vegetables… cheese, everything, I buy here, I don’t buy nowhere else,” said Vito Saputo, a customer.
Meanwhile, for the Vitale family, they hope their stores will be around for another 40 years.
“I feel like the future is bright, we’d love to have another location in the future, obviously, we take day by day but we want to keep continuing to improve the stores we have now,” said Vince Vitale.
