Sam Maceri, Sr. King of Freshness
In 1922, Tom Maceri became an independent produce vendor with offices at the Eastern Market in Detroit. He went up and down various streets peddling produce to the residents off the truck. In 1992, when he was 95 years old, he was the oldest living produce vendor in the Detroit area.
In 1936, Tom Maceri’s son, Sam, entered the family business at the age of 13, and assisted his father. First thing Sam did was to add the words, “and son” under his fathers name on the truck, and thus the name became Tom Maceri & Son. He started selling wholesale by selling bushels of cabbage to a customer and profiting $.50. He thought, this is the service that is needed.
Sam Maceri had a love for trucks and cars. In 1943, he was married. Till the day he was married he gave all the money from each day to his parents. A few days before his wedding he put the money on the table and his mother said keep it, it is your wedding gift.
“Trucks are beauties of the industry,” said Sam. In 1948, Sam purchased his first brand new truck. He had purchased others in between, but this being his first brand new truck he added all the bells and whistles. It had white wall tires and trumpet horns. You name it, it had it. The Packard News wrote an article which stated, “Many trucks operating out of the Detroit Produce Terminal are expensive and good looking. We present Tom Maceri & Son with first prize for good looks. In 1970, he bought a brand new trailer. He figured it was the last one he would purchase. So again, he went all out. The cost was from eight to nine thousand, he spent 15,500 dollars on it. He used it for 7 years. In between they grew and bought many more trailers and trucks. He sold it to his cousin Phil Riggio, who is now Aunt Mid. Phil used it until 1985. Phil’s father Dominic Riggio lived with Sam growing up. They were only 3 years apart. He was like his older brother. On September 4, 1936, they started out in the wholesale produce business, each in their own company.
Sam Maceri, worked in the wholesale industry at Tom Maceri & Son for 74 years in Detroit’s Eastern Market. He did not get his first warehouse until the early 1970’s. He would work from 2am till 11pm. He had to go and buy in the market everyday because he had no storage. His first warehouse was on Green Street near the Produce Terminal. Then as business expanded, he moved to a warehouse on the Chrysler Freeway service drive near Detroit’s Eastern Market. His next warehouse was the present Nuccio warehouse. Sam and Tony Nuccio were also like brothers. He then had to expand again. Sam Maceri’s son Anthony is now Maceri Produce located in the same building. Sam Maceri fell nearly 11 months short of celebrating 75 years in business in Detroit’s Produce Industry. He passed away on September 29, 2010. His hard work, love of the business will live on in his sons and grandsons. Anthony’s sons, Anthony and Tom, third generation, also work in the business. The youngest grandson, Tom Maceri, was named by Sam Sr.’s mother. He is just like Sam Maceri Sr. He is only 17, but thinks like Sam. He is conservative, just as if he lived back in the 1940’s. His love, passion, and common sense will get him far. Sam Maceri’s wisdom and knowledge helped everyone he knew. He was an amazing man.
Sam was also vice-president of the Detroit Metropolitan Fruit Vendors Association and the Eastern Market Merchants Association.
