3600 South Redwood: Where the Classics Sat and Stories Grew
Memories of DeMarco Truck Sales: Sam’s Yard of Rust, Rock Salt, and Rare Finds
Memories of DeMarco Truck Sales: Sam’s Yard of Rust, Rock Salt, and Rare Finds
For decades, travelers heading down 3600 South and Redwood Road couldn't miss the sight—rows of old vehicles, some gleaming, others rusted by time, lined up tightly like soldiers on parade. This was the unmistakable domain of DeMarco Truck Sales, a landmark remembered as much for its vintage inventory as for the man who ruled it with grit and a shotgun full of rock salt.
That man was Salvatore “Sam” DeMarco, born in 1886 in Italy, who immigrated to the United States in 1903. He married Vittoria Romano in 1913, and the couple eventually settled in Utah, where Sam worked as a railroad foreman, operated a farm in Bennion, and later established a car and truck dealership in Granger.
His dealership at 3600 South Redwood Road became legendary. Sam collected cars from the 1920s through the 1960s, amassing a vast collection that he was notoriously reluctant to sell. Locals recall his fierce protection of the lot, often chasing off curious onlookers with a shotgun loaded with rock salt. Though it looked like a used car lot—or a junkyard, depending on who you asked—it felt more like a personal museum, curated by a man with a deep connection to every vehicle on the lot.
As Sam aged, his sons Carl and Rudy DeMarco stepped in to help grow and modernize the business.
Carl DeMarco, born in 1918 in Salt Lake City, became a partner in the family business under the name Granger Motor Company. In addition to his work in auto sales, Carl was known in agricultural circles—winning 4H awards for his sugar beets and cultivating 12 acres along Redwood Road at 3546 South, where he built a brick home and a 30x40 garage. His land, once zoned for agriculture, transitioned into commercial property as the valley grew. Carl passed away in 1995, remembered as both a businessman and a farmer.
Rudy DeMarco, born in 1925, also operated from the original 3600 South Redwood Road location and was a part-owner of Granger Motor and Used Cars. He continued his father’s legacy of vehicle sales. Rudy passed away in 2003, leaving behind a lifetime of service to the community through both work and heritage.
Together, the DeMarcos shaped a unique corner of Granger—where old trucks told stories, and three generations of car lovers found both frustration and fascination. The property today bears little resemblance to its gritty past, but for those who remember, DeMarco Truck Sales was more than a business—it was a landmark, layered in grease, history, and family pride.
Son Rudy
Son Carl
Father: Salvatore “Sam” DeMarco
