Left: Co-owner, Anna Giovacchini
Milano, Coronados newest boutique, held its grand opening on September 9th in stelar style, complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony officiated by Mayor Casey Tanaka. It is located at 1330 Orange Avenue (#250).
I can see that you have a lot of style. Thats good, because Coronado has a lot of style, Tanaka said as cut the ribbon last Friday.
Over 200 people came to the catered event organized by the Coronado Chamber of Commerce. At one point it was so crowded that Anna Giovacchini, the stores co-owner, had to turn people away. People werent just there to nosh and network – there were some serious shoppers in the crowd!
We sold a lot in just two hours, said Giovacchini. I wish we could sell like that everyday.
Its been a while since Tanaka has officiated at a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new business. A number of businesses have opened (and closed) without this traditional rite, but that may soon change.
We plan to do more of this, said Matt Pontes, the Coronado Chamber of Commerces vice-chairman. Bringing attention to local businesses is one of our top priorities. Not only for new businesses, but for all of our Chamber members.
Located upstairs in Coronado Plaza, just behind Yummy Sushi, Milano is hidden away from the throngs of pedestrians strolling by. It needed the glitz of a grand opening to announce its presence. Milano has been open since July 10, but few knew it existed.
Business was very slow this summer, said Brianna De Guzman one of shops sales clerks. There are more people here tonight than weve had all summer.
Mayor Casey Tanaka getting ready to cut the ribbon for Milano’s grand opening. He’s holding the city’s official ribbon cutting shears.
The shop is named for Italys fashion center, home to countless couture icons including Valentino, Armani, Missoni, Prada and Versace. These high-end, fashion forward designers are not represented at Milano. Instead Giovacchini offers clothes and accessories created by Italian and European artisans. Labels include Antica Satoria beachwear and Legroup, a fashion wholesaler based in Rome. Many offer shoppers a touch of old-world craftsmanship.
A rack of linen dresses caught the eye of many shoppers at the opening. The linen, Giovacchini said, was hand-woven in Positano, a village along the Amalfi coast. Not all of her clothes comer from Europe. Some she admits are produced in South Asian, to make them more affordable.
The styles are trendy and prices are moderate along the lines of Liz Claybourn, whose garments and accessories are sold at major department stores, including Macy and JC Penny.
You wont find any of Giovacchinis brands at these stores. Her products are exclusive and reflect styles she believes will appeal to Coronado residents. The styles wont stay exactly the same. I will listen to my customers, she said.
Besides apparel, Milano carries skin care products, jewelry and accessories for women and men. She also has a line of natural pet care products.
A committed environmentalist and animal welfare advocate, Giovacchini also deeply concerned about the environment. In Italy, where she lives part of the year, she serves on a number of boards overseeing environmental protection and animal welfare. Here she donates to PAWS, Coronados own animal welfare group.
Her products mirror her principles. The fragrances, skin care and hair products sold in her shop are organic and cruelty free. None have been tested on animals, a common practice in the commercial cosmetic industry. Garments sold in her shop are made from innovative fabrics such as bamboo, which blocks ultraviolet rays and the even eco-friendly hemp, which grows rapidly, even in infertile soil, without pesticides.
While Giovacchini loves fashion and wants her shop to reflect her passion for the environment, she also wants Milano to be more than a place where someone comes to buy a blouse, a bobble or a body wash. She wants customers to experience a bit of Italy. There are books about Italy and fashion magazines for people to read and coffee or espresso to sip. She’s also toying with the idea of offering free Italian lessons.
Now that the grand opening is over, she’s planning other events to attract customers to her shop. This Saturday there will be a coffee, cake and wine party between 5pm and 7pm. Plans are underway for make-up sessions and a fashion show. I need to find a cat walk first, she said.
This is not Giovacchinis first shop. She owned one in her native Monza, a village not far from Milan. She knew fashion and how to run a shop, but had no idea how to open one here, so she contacted the Coronado Chamber.
It became her mentor to the ways of American business. They gave me all the information critical to starting a new business: finding a location, what license I would need, she said.
She also took advantage of other service the organization offers, including: accesses to social media outlets, a welcome section in their newsletter, and a free advertisement in the Coronado Eagle-Journal.
I also have tried to work with Anna and answer any of her questions and share helpful contact with her to get involved in the community in the specific ways she wants to, said Lizzie Boyer, the Chambers administrator.
That connection coupled with Giovacchini’s own savvy and creativity helped launch Milano and may well sustain it. At the very least it has put Milano on the map. More people know where it’s and what it has to offer.
Visit their website here: http://www.milanocoronado.com/ (1330 Orange Avenue, #250)
