In 1918, Tony Owen's great grandfather, Dominick DiMatteo, opened his first deli and food store on Chicago's Northwest side.  The quote on the door read: "Dominick's belongs to customers."  It is a philosophy started in 1918 and held by the family to this day.

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In the 1950's, Dominick Jr sold the one store in order to buy a larger store at 6900 North Avenue. The 14,000 square foot store was the first supermarket style store for the company. And as the suburbs grew, so did the number of Dominick’s Finer Foods. 

 

By the early 1960’s Dominick’s had expanded to 7 stores throughout Chicago.  

 

The store’s concept expanded through 1980’s, as Dominick’s continued to introduce new ideas to the world such as: food and drug combo stores, video departments, one hour photo, and bulk foods.  

 

In the 1990’s Dominick’s surpassed 100 stores and introduced the “Fresh Store” concept with prepared foods, in-store restaurants, Starbucks cafes, and a general European Market feel concept.

 

The family sold the business in the late 1990’s after the death of Dominick Jr. 

 

In 2007, Tony Owen started DOM Capital Group as a family office and precursor to Little Joe Ventures.  Through DOM Capital Group, the family was able to keep the legacy and spirit of Dominick alive through a new generation of food entrepreneurs whom DOM Capital seeded and supported through their stages of growth.  Those businesses have gone on to transform their industries and impact the lives of not only those involved in the companies but their customers as well.  This work continues today through Little Joe Ventures.