LIVONIA — As the final rush of orders came in and the ovens worked overtime, something extraordinary happened at Corsi’s Restaurant during its last day in business: Former employees, some who hadn’t worn a Corsi’s apron in two decades, stepped in to help out.
“They just showed up to say goodbye,” said co-owner Penny Corsi. “And when they saw we needed some help, they started working – baking pizzas, cleaning tables, doing whatever needed to be done. It was great. That’s the kind of place this has always been.”
After nearly 70 years serving homemade Italian fare to generations of loyal customers, Corsi’s officially closed June 30.
The closure comes on the heels of Chin’s Restaurant shutting its doors in April, marking the end of another beloved Livonia eatery that had served the community for seven decades.
Corsi’s, located at 27910 Seven Mile Road, has been sold to Detroit restaurateur Bernard Webster, who plans to renovate the space and reopen under a new name and expanded concept.
Fear not: although some details are still taking shape, Webster says the famous pizza recipe will stay.
“We’re ecstatic,” Corsi said. “We’ve been trying to sell the business for four years. The outpouring of love we received this past week was overwhelming. We’re just so grateful.”
The restaurant’s final days, she said, were a whirlwind of standing-room-only crowds. Five generations of one family came to say goodbye, and longtime customers swapped stories.
“It was emotional,” Corsi said. “We didn’t want to publicize the closing because we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to care for everyone properly, and that’s exactly what happened. But people were so patient, so kind.”
For server Samantha Hamilton, a Farmington Hills resident who worked at Corsi’s for nearly a decade, it was the people who kept her coming back.
“I absolutely loved it,” Hamilton said. “They treated me just like family. That’s why I stayed so long. It was a great environment. Always laughing. It felt like home.”
That sentiment is one the Corsi family worked hard to maintain over the years. The restaurant began as a carryout spot near Eight Mile and Inkster in 1958, founded by Italian immigrants Rocco and Adelia Corsi.
Over time, the business expanded and moved to its current location, where it became a local landmark for weddings, banquets and generations of family dinners.
The restaurant was truly a family affair. Louie Corsi, son of founders Rocco and Adelia Corsi, met his future wife, Penny, while they were both working at the restaurant.
His brother, Dean, also grew up in the business and eventually met his wife Karen there, as well.
The two couples went on to run Corsi’s together, raising their children in and around the kitchen, where folding napkins and setting up banquet tables became part of everyday family life.
Even their granddaughters have helped out.
The new owner, Webster, said he plans to keep some of the old – including the pizza team – while bringing in some new elements and menu items.
“We’re going to renovate everything,” he said, noting he’s planning to keep as many employees as possible and hopes permits, work and other necessities will go quickly so staff won’t be out of work for long.
“It’ll be called Truth Banquet and Mr. B’s Pizza, Ribs and Soul Food.”
Webster, who operates Mr. B’s Soul Food in Detroit and a banquet venue in Southfield, said he’s planning live jazz nights, a sports-bar-style atmosphere, and a menu that blends classic Italian with southern comfort food.
For the founding family, it’s all good news. After decades of running a bustling restaurant, Corsi said she and her partners are more than ready for retirement.
She and Louie plan to spend more time with their five grandchildren – happily embracing their role as the family’s unofficial “Uber drivers” – while also taking advantage of the family condo in Florida.
Travel is also high on the list, including a long-awaited trip to Italy to visit extended family.
Retirement, Corsi noted, is “not bittersweet.”
“We’re ready,” she said. “But we are so appreciative of every single person who’s supported us.”
Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@hometownlife.com
