The new Ambrosi & Sons retail store in North Naples provides patrons the opportunity to taste, learn and discover products rarely found in traditional shops. The local destination in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt curates authentic, artisanal food and wine sourced from small, family-owned producers across Italy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Owner Rudy Ambrosi finds personal satisfaction in interacting with guests who are interested in sharing some boutique wine, a cultural experience and information about their Italian family connections.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are a lot of people who come in who are of Italian heritage but they don\u2019t really fully understand certain things about it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s rewarding to talk to people about the culture and history. I think people like learning a little bit more about their roots.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Rudy Ambrosi recently relocated his Italian imports shop and wine bar to the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt in North Naples.<\/p>\n
Therese McDevitt<\/p>\n
Ambrosi is a first generation American from parents born in Italy. His father is from northern Italy, where his family had a five-generation, knife-sharpening business in Trentino, while his mother is from a little island off the large island of Sardinia. \u201cWe still have our family houses going back like 300 years,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Ambrosi family\u2019s deep connection to those regions serves as a foundation for the brand, but the store celebrates Italian heritage from throughout the European nation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are from different regions, so I try to represent all regions of Italy as far as wine goes and product goes because every area has something that they\u2019re kind of famous for. They\u2019re famous for this cookie, they\u2019re famous for this pasta, they\u2019re famous for this cracker, they\u2019re famous for this kind of wine, and so on and so on,\u201d Ambrosi said. \u201cSo, whenever a person comes in from a particular region, we have something that we can talk about with them. There\u2019s always something from some area to talk about. Italians are very prideful about their area.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Ambrosi & Sons Italian imports shop recently opened in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt at 2343\u202fVanderbilt\u202fBeach Road, units 602 & 604, in North Naples.<\/p>\n
Tim Aten<\/p>\n
So, the sharing of personal information is as enjoyable as the unique wine, olive oil and food products.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a story behind all the products that you don\u2019t usually get in a regular store,\u201d Ambrosi said. \u201cWhat\u2019s so particular about this pasta? What\u2019s so particular about this product, this cookie, this wine? Whatever it is there\u2019s a story behind it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The local business started years ago when Ambrosi had some retail space in the front of the East Naples building where he had a restaurant supply company. He began carrying products there imported from Italy and he just expanded on it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just did it because it was a fun project,\u201d he said. \u201cFood and wine and Italy has always been part of our life. I spent every summer growing up in Italy, and even when I had kids and an Italian wife we still went to Italy every summer.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
During those trips, Ambrosi discovered and connected with artisanal producers who made particular products not available in major stores worldwide. These exclusive wines, olive oils, pastas and sauces made in small batches are what makes Ambrosi & Sons unique.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Ambrosi & Sons in North Naples features wine and food items imported from Italy.<\/p>\n
Tim Aten<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look up the pasta that I have, Rustichella d\u2019Abruzzo, it\u2019s known as one of the best pastas, the very, very top Rolls-Royce of pasta. You\u2019ll never find it in a big store because they don\u2019t make enough of it,\u201d Ambrosi said. \u201cTo make industrial pasta, you have to heat it. To make artisanal pasta, you let it dry at room temperature and it takes two or three days, so big industrial companies don\u2019t want to wait two or three days to let a pasta dry. Everything that\u2019s commercial and industrial is fast; everything that\u2019s artisanal and great is slow. That\u2019s just two polar opposites in philosophies.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For instance, olive oils he stocks are grown and bottled at the same location in Italy. \u201cWith this kind of process, you can\u2019t scale something like that,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Ambrosi & Sons in North Naples features wine and food items imported from Italy.<\/p>\n
Tim Aten<\/p>\n
Even the few products he carries that are not imported from Italy have a direct connection to Italy. \u201cFor example, I have a Brooklyn bread,\u201d Ambrosi said. \u201cObviously, the people are immigrants and they make bread with the Italian recipe and they use Italian flour. So, the ingredients come from Italy and they\u2019re made here. Same thing with the ravioli.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ambrosi & Sons eventually plans to expand its offerings to include house-made items such as fresh pasta and prepared foods, as well as more grab-and-go selections. A wine club also will be available soon offering exclusive, rare, limited-production wines through two membership tiers, Nobile and Superiore \u2013 Italian for Noble and Superior \u2013 with seasonal releases in the spring and fall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Ambrosi & Sons in North Naples features wine and food items imported from Italy.<\/p>\n
Tim Aten<\/p>\n
Its wine bar offers a rotating selection of nearly 20 Italian wines by the glass. Guests can enjoy tasting pours or full glasses of wine from select vineyards.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ambrosi & Sons\u2019 store is in the former location of Naples Wine Collection, operated by the Dixon family. The adjoining large space that was formerly The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar will be used as a wine-tasting venue and a multifaceted event space that has been renamed The Grotto \u2013 meaning The Cave in Italian. \u201cI want to leave it open to being creative,\u201d Ambrosi said.\u00a0<\/p>\n