The cash register was a repurposed tackle box. The oven was used, and the stove came cheap.
That was the whole starting kit for a pizza empire.
I love that the idea came from a hungry Friday night. A Catholic couple waited until midnight to eat meat, then had to fetch their own pizza.
Nobody delivered. So they decided someone should.
The husband kept setting tile by day and made pizzas at night. His wife handled customers and helped prep the food.
I can’t imagine that schedule, yet it worked.
Today, their cracker-thin squares are part of Missouri’s identity. One busy downtown shop near the ballpark keeps that story going, with a dining room, delivery, and late hours on weekends.
A Friday Night Craving Started All Of This
Imo’s Pizza began with a very relatable problem. Ed and Margie Imo wanted pizza late on Friday nights, but nobody would bring it to them.
As devout Catholics, they skipped meat on Fridays until midnight. By about 11:30, they’d order a meat-topped pie from a local Italian spot and drive over to grab it.
That routine got old fast. The couple kept wondering how nice it would be if someone just delivered the pizza instead.
So in 1964, they opened their own parlor at Thurman and Shaw in the Shaw neighborhood of St. Louis. Ed was a tile setter by trade, which is not the usual path into the food business.
He didn’t quit his day job, either. Ed set tile during the day and then made pizzas at night.
Margie ran customer service and helped with food prep. Together they built something out of grit, late hours, and a shared appetite.
I love how ordinary the spark was. No grand business plan, just two hungry people solving their own Friday night headache.
Imo’s went on to pioneer pizza delivery in St. Louis. It was also one of the first carryout and delivery parlors west of the Mississippi.
Seventy-Five Dollars And A Tackle Box Built A Legend
Some startups begin with investors. This one began with a used oven, two refrigerators, and a stove bought for $75.
Margie Imo turned a tackle box into the cash register. Honestly, that detail alone deserves its own museum display.
It shows how scrappy those first days really were. The Imos worked with what they had and didn’t wait for perfect conditions.
Then something surprising happened. Within eight months, friends were asking them to open a second location.
That request kicked off the growth. One parlor became two, and the momentum kept building across the St. Louis area.
By 1985, the chain had reached 30 parlors around the region. At that point, the family opened the brand to franchising.
Growth didn’t stop there. The company now has close to 100 locations across Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas.
Recent reports have counted more than 100 restaurants and stores, with over 5,000 employees. Not bad for a business that once kept its cash next to imaginary fishing lures.
There’s a real lesson tucked inside this story for anyone with a big idea. Start small, stay stubborn, and let good food do the talking.
Your Ballpark Pregame Pizza Stop Is Right Here
Downtown St. Louis has its own Imo’s, and the spot is handy. You’ll find it at 904 South 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.
That puts it close to the stadium area. Game days and concert nights suddenly come with an easy pizza plan.
The shop itself is a simple, no-frills pizza place. It isn’t a fancy dining room, and it doesn’t try to be.
Still, you can sit down and eat here. The location offers a dining room, plus carryout and delivery for anyone staying nearby.
Parking is another nice perk. The lot behind the restaurant is available for customers, which matters a lot downtown.
That’s useful if you’re visiting Missouri for a weekend and don’t know the area well. Pull in, grab your pie, and get on with your plans.
Hotel guests and downtown apartment dwellers can skip the trip entirely. Delivery hours generally match the regular hours here.
Fitting, right? The whole company started because two people wished someone would bring pizza to their door.
Now this downtown shop does exactly that for its neighbors. Ed and Margie would probably call that a win.
Squares Beat Triangles, At Least Around Here
Forget everything you know about pizza wedges. Imo’s cuts its pies into squares, and the company proudly calls it The Square Beyond Compare.
Ed Imo is credited with introducing that square slice style. It’s now a signature of St. Louis-style pizza.
The crust is ultra-thin and cracker-like. It’s made from unleavened dough, which means no yeast puffing it up.
That gives you a crisp bite instead of a chewy one. If you like crunch, this is your kind of pizza.
Toppings go nearly edge to edge, too. There’s no thick outer crust to hide behind or leave on the plate.
The squares make sharing simple. Kids can grab a small piece, and grown-ups can sneak just one more.
Center pieces can get a little messy, though. Keep a napkin handy and you’ll be fine.
Is it different from New York or Chicago pizza? Absolutely, and that’s the point.
St. Louis-style pizza is its own thing with its own rules. Trying it at Imo’s Pizza in its home city feels like learning the local language one crunchy square at a time.
Provel Cheese Will Make You Rethink Mozzarella
Provel is the cheese that makes St. Louis pizza taste like St. Louis. It’s a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone.
This cheese was invented in St. Louis back in 1947. More than two million pounds of it get eaten every year.
Here’s why it’s different. Provel has a low melting point, so it turns gooey, creamy, and almost buttery.
It also has a little tang. And unlike mozzarella, it doesn’t stretch into long strings when you take a bite.
That means no cheese ropes dangling off your chin. Some folks consider that a feature, not a bug.
Provel is a defining ingredient of Imo’s pizza. Without it, the whole thing just wouldn’t be the same.
First-timers sometimes need a moment to adjust. It’s richer and softer than what many people expect on pizza.
My advice? Eat it while it’s hot, when that creamy texture shines brightest.
If you fall for it, Imo’s sells Provel cheese products in grocery stores too. You can bring a little St. Louis flavor home to your own kitchen.
Toasted Ravioli Deserves A Spot On Your Order
Breaded, toasted, and dunkable. Toasted ravioli is a St. Louis classic, and Imo’s has it on the appetizer menu.
If you’re new to the city, order some alongside your pizza. It’s one of those local foods you really should try at least once.
The appetizer list goes well beyond that. Provel Bites lean fully into the cheese obsession, which feels very on brand.
Garlic Cheese Bread and Bread Bites cover the carb lovers. Chicken Wings, Boneless Wings, and Chicken Tenders handle everyone else.
There are also Imo’s Fries. Picky eaters, rejoice.
This mix makes group orders much easier. Not everyone wants the same thing, and that’s totally fine here.
A small pizza with a couple of sides can turn into a full feast. Pick one local favorite and one familiar comfort item for balance.
Toasted ravioli plus Provel Bites might be the most St. Louis combo possible. Call it a crash course in Missouri snacking.
Either way, the starters are worth a look before you jump straight to pizza. Sometimes the side dish becomes the part you talk about later.
Not In A Pizza Mood? The Menu Has Your Back
Pizza gets top billing, but the rest of the menu holds its own. Imo’s serves salads, sandwiches, pasta, and desserts.
Specialty pizzas come first, of course. Options include Deluxe, BBQ Chicken, Sweet Heat, Veggie, and All Meat.
You can also build your own pie. Pick your toppings and make it exactly how you like.
Salads include House, Chef, and Deluxe versions. They’re a smart way to add something fresh to the table.
The sandwich lineup is big. Hoagies come hot or cold, including the Imo’s Extra Special, Meatball and Cheese, Turkey Club, and Crispy Chicken Club.
Classic picks like B.L.T., Ham and Cheese, and Roast Beef and Cheese are there too. Vegetarians can grab Imo’s Veggie.
Pasta fans get Baked Lasagna and Mostaccioli. Both feel like solid choices for a hungrier night.
Then comes dessert. Cinnimos, Cheesecake, and Gooey Butter Cake round things out.
Gooey Butter Cake is another St. Louis favorite, so it fits right in. Ending a Provel-heavy meal with something called gooey seems almost poetic.
Late-Night Hunger Has A Downtown Answer
Midnight cravings are basically how Imo’s got started. So it makes sense that this downtown shop stays open late.
Doors open at 10 AM every day. Monday through Thursday, the kitchen generally runs until midnight.
Fridays and Saturdays stretch even later, until 1 AM. Sunday hours can shift a bit, so check before heading over.
That schedule works well for downtown life. Games, concerts, and late meetings don’t always end at dinnertime.
Delivery is a big part of the appeal here. Hotel guests, apartment residents, and office crews can all get pizza brought right to them.
Rainy night? Long day of sightseeing?
Ordering in suddenly sounds like the best plan in the whole city.
Lunch is an option too, since the shop opens mid-morning. A crispy square makes a quick midday break easy.
I like that the late hours honor the original story. Ed and Margie wanted pizza after 11:30 on Friday nights.
More than sixty years later, their downtown shop still makes that possible. Some traditions are worth keeping, especially the delicious ones.
A City Gave This Pizza Its Very Own Day
April 8th is officially Imo’s Day in St. Louis. The city made that proclamation in 2014 to honor the brand’s cultural and culinary impact.
Not many pizza chains get a day on the calendar. That tells you how deep Imo’s runs in this town.
Famous fans have chimed in too. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles named Imo’s her preferred pizza.
Actors Ellie Kemper and Jon Hamm have given it shout-outs as well. That’s quite a fan club for a square slice.
The brand celebrated its 60th anniversary in January 2024. Six decades later, the family story still sits at the center.
The reach goes past restaurants now. Imo’s frozen pizzas, sauces, dressings, and crusts show up in grocery stores across many states.
Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Tennessee, and Virginia are just a few places selling them. Headquarters and production remain in downtown St. Louis.
So a stop at the downtown Imo’s Pizza puts you near the heart of the operation. It’s a tasty way to join a long hometown tradition.
From a tackle box register to a citywide holiday, this story keeps getting better. And it still comes cut in squares.
