RETAILOBSERVER.COM AUGUST 2015
4
Eliana Barriga
eliana@retailobserver.com
Buon Appetito!
Elle's View As I See It
I
recently took a business trip to Italy and one evening found myself
enjoying a stroll through the town square. As I walked down
cobblestone streets taking in the fresh air mixed with the aroma of
delicious meals being prepared in the kitchens of the homes I passed
by, it seemed the entire village was out that night enjoying time
together. Children played on the curbside while their parents
exchanged laughs and friendly conversation, as grandfathers sat
around wooden tables playing cards and telling stories. At cafe
tables, young friends enjoyed espressos and gelato while couples
toasted with glasses of wine. Dogs were being walked and people on
bikes and scooters whizzed by. Underneath it all was this steady
pulse of life and feeling of connection that fed my soul.
I returned home bathed in the afterglow that comes from experiencing
the epicurean lifestyle that is Italy. This time I was determined not to
lose that feeling, but instead invite it into my everyday life. Ours may not
be the culture that gathers in the streets at night for our social
exchanges, but our kitchens once again have emerged as the gathering
place for family and friends. Food is the experience in all parts of the
world that we share in common, it's what unites us.
Learning to make pasta was one of the highlights of the Italy trip!
Holding cooking demonstrations in your showrooms not only teaches
your customers how to prepare meals, it increases sales and loyalty but
most importantly, it creates a connection with people. So—maybe it's
time to be selling a little more of the cooking experience rather than just
the box with an appliance in it, because ultimately, food and fellowship is
something most of us crave and can never have too much of.
FOOD FOR
YOUR SOUL
AUGUST 2015, VOLUME 26, ISSUE 8
CELEBRATING OUR 26
TH
YEAR
AS THE RETAIL OBSERVER
PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR
E LIANA BARRIGA
DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING
MOE LASTFOGEL
ART DIRECTOR
TERRY PRICE
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
MIKE ALLEN
BROOKE FELDMAN
JOE HIGGINS
PAUL MAC DONALD
NATE PUPLIS
JOHN TSCHOHL
E LLY VALAS
LIBBY WAGNER
RALPH E. WOLFF
DOUG WREDE
DEADLINE FOR OCTOBER 2015 ISSUE:
SEPTEMBER 1, 2015
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