EMMETT, Idaho β A new lunch spot in Emmett is serving up more than just sandwiches and baked goods β Scotty's Deli is creating a space where family and community take center stage on Main Street.
Since opening in June, the father-daughter team behind Scotty's Deli has been overwhelmed by the community's response to their fresh approach to local dining and business support.
Kelsey Masaitis and Scott Desind run Scotty's Deli as a true family operation, with each bringing their own strengths to the business.
"Our whole thing is centered around family and community and connection so that's just what we want people to know us for," Masaitis said.
Watch to learn more about the heart behind Scotty's Deli.
The partnership represents a return to the restaurant industry for both, drawing on their family's deep history in Emmett's dining scene. Desind has operated multiple businesses in Emmett over the decades.
"We've had a couple of restaurants here in town. We had a dinner house here for about 20 years," Desind said.
His business ventures have included the Timbers restaurant on the highway, running the golf course, Hometown Pizza, a restaurant on the hill, Black Canyon Gourmet Popcorn factory, a piercing studio, and a woodworking business.
"She kind of grew up in and out of the restaurants and different businesses, and so we just kind of always kind of done a lot of the things together," Desind said.
The idea for Scotty's Deli came from Masaitis, who approached her father about the opportunity.
"About 4 months ago or so, she came to me and goes, Dad, this deli's for sale. I wanna get it. And so we kind of looked at it and made the decision to go ahead and do it," Desind said.
For Desind, who had retired from the restaurant business about 10 years ago, his daughter's initiative was both surprising and heartwarming.
"It makes me feel really good. It was, it's, it's kind of heartfeeling that she wanted to do this and call it Scotty's. I never imagined that. And with this restaurant she had the ideas and stuff, and I just kind of let her pick and choose what she wanted to do and I just kind of helped to make it happen for her," Desind said.
"It's been great watching her grow and it's amazing the things she's done and just kind of kind of riding her coattails right now," Desind said.
The deli has quickly found its place in Emmett's dining landscape, attracting former customers who had been asking Desind to return to the restaurant business.
"Through the years and and after I kind of retired from the restaurant business about 10 years ago and took on something else, and over the years we constantly have old customers of ours that we would see and say when are you gonna reopen something when are you gonna do something, when are you gonna do this and I'm like no you know I think I'm done," Desind said.
"The response from the community has been overwhelming. It really has been, and we just, we've always felt we wanted to put out a good meal at a good price and hopefully the people will enjoy it," Desind said.
Masaitis handles social media, advertising and front of house operations, while Desind prefers working in the kitchen.
"I'm more of a back person. She can be the face of it," Desind said.
Beyond serving food, Scotty's Deli showcases products from local makers and businesses through rental shelves, supporting both established businesses and entrepreneurs without storefronts.
"At first I was like, how am I going to fill all these shelves, and then when I posted that we were going to have shelves for people to rent, it kind of blew up, and so right now we have a waiting list," Masaitis said.
Desind's connection to Emmett runs deep, having been part of the community for decades.
"Emmett's been a great community for me. I've been here about 40-35 years, and I can't ask for any more from the people," Desind said.
The family hopes their business model will strengthen the entire Main Street corridor by drawing customers who will then visit other local businesses.
"We really wanna showcase that family is the foundation of our place and we wanna support other families in the community," Masaitis said.
Scotty's Deli can be found on social media at Scotty's Deli on Main across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok platforms.
