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About Us
Alicia Bradford fell in love with “all things Italian” after a vacation to the Amalfi coast with her mother in 1991. The following year, she used the excuse of attending Diana Folonari’s cooking school to return. Already being an accomplished cook, that excuse would only work once. So in 1994 Alicia decided that the only way to justify returning to Italy on a regular basis, was to open her own store, importing and selling Majolica.
Knowing Alicia’s passion for travel, food and handcrafted Italian ceramics, a dear friend introduced her to the Unione Ristoranti del Buon Ricordo, a union of restaurants that uphold the traditional cuisine of their regions. When the special dish is ordered, the diner receives a souvenir plate. In her excitement to collect the plates, (she now has more than 93) Alicia has traveled extensively throughout Italy, meeting and making friends along the way; visiting their factories and their homes.
In a favorite story, Alicia recounts her first visit to the popular destination of San Gimignano, where she bought a footed planter signed “P. Tania”. This artist had pieces in several of the better majolica shops in town, and Alicia was determined to have this artist’s work in her own shop. She was able to persuade a fellow importer to assist her and his aggressive sleuthing took him to a different artist, then the local undertaker, and finally to the local green grocer before finding “P. Tania”. On her next visit, Alicia followed his directions into an olive grove with a few sheds, convinced he was sending her on a wild goose chase. But there at the end of the dirt road was her reward; a father and his two daughters, creating some of the most wonderful items she had ever seen. You can see the footed planter and more in the Collections section under Tania.
During another trip, Alicia met up with some friends who were serious wine collectors, and they included her on a visit to the Biondi Santi vineyards. After listening to her (poor Italian, but enthusiastic) self introduction as an importer of Italian ceramics, the patriarch Franco gave both parties a commemorative plate that remains one of her prized possessions to this day. Consider having Alicia special order one with your family crest on it.
Alicia has traveled beyond the famous town of Deruta to Montelupo Fiorentino, Faenza and Vietri, to Sicily and Sardegna in search of the special and unique items available in her store. In addition to carrying many classic designs and patterns, Alicia has worked with potters and artists to create new shapes and designs, or to help her customers with special orders.
A quick visit to her shop, and you will see the Italian flag flying, hear current popular Italian music playing in the background; you may even overhear Alicia on the phone chatting away in Italian, and for a moment you might think you are in Italy.
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