Pete Demovic; Ex-Cocktail Lounge Owner

Pete Demovic, who owned several cocktail lounges and a salvage yard in Chatsworth, has died in Valencia. He was 68.

A Chatsworth resident, Demovic died Monday of a heart attack, said his son Pete Demovic Jr. of North Hollywood.

Born in Glen Gardner, N.J., Demovic served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II and earned a Bronze Star for bravery. He came to California in 1951 and owned Canyon Market in Santa Monica before going into the bar and restaurant business. Between the late 1950s and the mid-1970s, Demovic owned Pete’s Place in Topanga Canyon, an early disco called Coco Groove in Santa Monica, the Cover Girl and the Westward Ho, both in Culver City, and the Ambers in Los Angeles.

In the late 1970s, he opened a salvage yard in Chatsworth, which he operated until the time of his death.

In addition to his son Pete, Demovic is survived by his wife of 45 years, Corinne (Brenda) Demovic; son Joe Demovic of Palmdale; daughter Susan Neighbors of Redondo Beach; brothers Alex Demovic of Dunellen, N.J., and John Demovic of Mountainside, N.J.; sisters Ann Sussman and Helene Reynolds, both of Longboat Key, Fla., and Rose Mingione of Warren, N.J.; and one granddaughter.

Visitation is planned from 5 to 8:30 p.m. today at Pierce Brothers-Praiswater Mortuary, 7245 Remmet Ave. in Canoga Park, which is handling the arrangements. A graveside service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Oakwood Memorial Park, 22601 Lassen St. in Chatsworth.