READ: Digitizing Emilio

Since 1975 Emilio's one-room lunch restaurant and grocery store has fed the mouths and minds of  Portsmouth. Proprietor Emilio Maddaloni dishes out old-world comfort food to a loyal base of customers. Recently one long-time diner decided to document the daily activities of this unique shop. David Balkin of Kittery Point has to date, captured over 100 of Emilio's regular customers. The images, taken with a digital camera, offer an inside view of the people and the products that hang around the shop. Visitors eat standing up at a short counter among boxes of produce, Italian canned goods and racks of pasta. All cooking is done on premesis in the back room by Emilio and his wife Linda.  Although the Italian North End of Portsmouth was lost to urban renewal decades ago , this tiny reminder of a neighborhood market remains -- for now. With no phone, no advertising, no staff and no regrets, Emilio is still "doing it all for the customer" daily. Except, of course, on the days he doesn't feel like coming in.  Those who prefer fast food are invited to eat elsewhere.  Those who are willing to wait, and chat, and listen are welcome -- assuming they can find the hidden eatery.  Regular customers pictured below include, in order, Dante, Rachel with Sam, Emilio and Linda, Marvin, Willy, Ed, Jessica and yours trily. --- JDR