Mangia Italiano

Two local south-siders, dentist Doc Parmely and his wife Micci, went out on a limb 23 years ago. They noticed St. Louis had no source of fresh pasta, so they grabbed the opportunity.

The buildings at 3145 South Grand had a past of selling hardware and movie theater tickets, but in the ’80s, the space had no purpose. Even though the building had burned down, to the Parmelys, it still held a purpose. They rented the space and opened a grocery store, decorated in an eclectic style that still plays a major role in the style of Mangia Italiano today.

According to current owner David Burmeister, the place was more like a “delicatessen specializing in fresh pasta, imported olive oils, wines, cheeses and meats. People would come in, buy a sandwich and sit down.”

People sat in the old Formica ’50s dinettes the Parmelys brought from their house; over time, they filled the entire place with more personal items. “Micci was eclectic,” said Burmeister. “The ceiling was full of crap: balloons, dolls, flags. Today the only thing left is the lizard on the wall and owl in the window. They called Micci ‘the bird lady’ because she walked around with a parrot on her shoulder.”

In the past nine years, Mangia Italiano has had two other owners, and during this time, the decoration process has continued. A 20-foot-long mural covers the south wall of Mangia Italiano, and in nine years it has still not been completed. The artist, Wayne Ermatinger, is known as Wayne Saint Wayne and has left murals in other major cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. He has received offers for his shows, but he turns every one down. He eats at Mangia Italiano for free in exchange for his artistry services. His mural is themed “evolution,” beginning with the big bang and protozoan creatures and ending with current affairs, including Monica Lewinsky and George W. Bush.

Today, Mangia Italiano still holds its promise to “eat Italian,” as the name suggests in Italian. Now a mood-lit restaurant doubled in size, Mangia Italiano offers quality, fresh pasta at a reasonable price. Pasta is still cooked fresh in a separate location down Grand and is sold to 35 restaurants in town. Sandwiches are still a specialty of Mangia Italiano and are even served at Saint Louis University’s deli at its south campus.

Besides pasta, Mangia Italiano also remains the first wholesale customer of Kaldi’s and among the first to hold poetry readings in the city. Today, Mangia Italiano offers its own “Mangia blend,” and instead of holding poetry readings, offers live music six nights a week and jazz every Friday.

Jay International Foods

Originally an Asian market in the small space of today’s South Grand Deli and Grocery, Jay International today sells a wide variety of international foods, including bulk foods such as lentils and rice, unique spices, hard-to-find produce and a good selection of tortillas.

In 1975, owner Noy Liam and his siblings moved to St. Louis from Thailand to pursue an education at Saint Louis University and Webster University. The Vietnam War had ended, and Liam wanted a fresh start. He earned his business degree from Webster and rented the small space at Wyoming Street and Grand Boulevard for $400 a month. His Asian market began to thrive, and within the next 10 years, Liam noticed the increasing Mexican, Cuban and African immigrants. They walked into Liam’s store and asked for international foods from their own homelands, and so in 1985, Liam moved his store to 3172 South Grand, paying at the time only $2,000 a month for the 10,000-square-feet space.

Before Jay International moved, 3172 South Grand housed Elias Sales, a store filled with products for food service establishments and personal parties-plates, napkins, mops, brooms and cleaning agents.

Today, Jay International is still known as the first international store in St. Louis, providing many ingredients for the ethnic restaurants on South Grand. With his family, Liam has also opened the international market Global Foods in Kirkwood, in addition to the Thai restaurant King and I on South Grand.

International Institute

A byproduct of the Settlement House Movement, the International Institute “helps new Americans become secure, successful and independent but still maintain their identity,” said Communications Coordinator Katy Stigers.

The institute is part of the nationwide network “Immigrant Refugee Services of America,” which began in 1919 to accommodate the influx of immigrants. Comprised of case workers, mental health services, translation and interpretation services, ESL classes and much more, the organization aims to help immigrating families become “secure and successful Americans and by promoting the value of ethnic diversity in the social, cultural and economic life of the region,” Stigers said.

Last year, more than 8,000 newcomers of 105 ethnicities participated in the institute’s programs, and some 70,000 area residents gained from the agency’s outreach projects like “Festival of Nations,” which celebrates customs and traditions of St. Louis immigrants.

Immigrants pick St. Louis for numerous reasons, such as affordable housing, education and its small size, and they look to the institute for assistance; refugees, on the other hand, rely on the institute. The United States Department of State matches potential resettlement cases with local agencies like the International Institute. “When the refugees first arrive, they get about $400 per person for housing, security deposit and food. After that, they must qualify for the same government programs available to all Americans-at the same rates and the same eligibility requirements. They receive no preference for loans,” reads the institute’s Web site.

Stigers explained that there is no single reason why immigrants and refugees come; some are fleeing political or social oppression, others come to get an education, others come for family.