Mustafa 'Tony' Demir, Owner of Tony's Place, Dies at 67

Tony's Place, a tiny retaurant on Main Street, was crammed with customers this weekend, like always.

Dan Demir wanted to keep the breakfast-lunch spot open, following his father Tony's unexpected death Friday, so people could share their memories.

Mustafa 'Tony' Demir, 67, died following a brief illness, according to an obituary published by Edwards Memorial Funeral Home. Inside his namesake restaurant the next morning, the waitresses, cooks and other employees said he had created a second family for them.

"This was his home; he never left," said Marleni Tejada, an employee of eight years who started in the kitchen next to him, before moving on to waitressing out front.

"He was so full of life," she said. "He was nice to everyone."

Tony's opened 15 years ago on Main Street, known for generous portions, reasonable prices and its seafood dishes. Six days a week, Mr. Demir could be found beside the grill, making all of the dishes by hand.

The modest size of the restaurant didn't reflect the variety of what he produced in the kitchen. 

As its menu boasts: "A small place with a big menu."

Fish & Chips was the biggest draw for regulars, but really it was Tony, said Tejada. Many of his regular customers had followed him to Main Street from other restaurants he'd owned in the area. "As soon as they'd walk in the door, he'd call them by their names. The food was great. But his personality is what helped the food here."

The restaurant reflects his personality. The walls are crammed with photos and memorabilia brought in by customers. They show what he loved and respected: The Three Stooges, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, the late Princess Diana, and his homeland of Turkey.

Mr. Demir was born in Istanbul, and educated in Turkey as a journalist, where he worked before emigrating to the U.S. in 1975. He initially settled in Waltham, then moved to Medway.

Charlie Kell, a jack-of-all-trades for the restaurant, worked for Mr. Demir for three years. At first, he'd have to listen closely, to catch through his accent what Mr. Demir was saying. When he worked alongside him, he said, Mr. Demir would leave his grill to have a joke with customers in the dining room. "Everybody got a laugh, every so often," he said.

Three weeks ago, Mr. Demir started feeling ill, and was hospitalized at Milford Regional Medical Center, said his staff. They visited him there, and teased him about being off his feet for the first time in years.

Mr. Demir's death came as a shock, and has been devastating, said Maria Cope, 36, a waitress for the past four years. "It's one of the best jobs I've ever worked," she said. "It's a family, it really is."

The restaurant will be closed on Monday through Thursday, and will reopen on Friday.

Mr. Demir's funeral arrangements are being handled by Edwards Memorial Funeral Home. The visiting hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The funeral is noon Wednesday.