If people that do not know us so well take a look at the latest news published during the past months (opening of the showroom Berto Salotti Turin and now opening of Berto Salotti Padua) might think we are another umpteenth franchising shops chain.
We see so many shops of that kind around us, in every field!
But people that really know us are perfectly aware that our intention is so distant from the idea of opening one shop similar to the other one.
To understand the concept we must take a step back.
Since many years our center has always been Meda, the Brianza area, where our founders Fioravante and Carlo Berto started their artisan laboratory when they moved from Veneto.
Everything happened here in Brianza and is still happening here: product, idea, style, customization, strategy, communication…everything.
But the most important thing we have developed in these years does not belong to this list.
The most important thing is our connection with this territory, with all people living and working around us.
On the basis of this concept we have developed our company idea and it is not simply about nice words, but we refer to concrete activities and – sometimes – to activities never experienced before, such as the crowdcrafting (an open production dedicated to everyone who is willing to try our work, opened to friends, customers, suppliers, students, institutions and competitors).
Our activities do not only refer to the production area, but also to an open approach to cultural news: a part of our showrooms, here in Meda and everywhere, is called BertoLive and is dedicated to passionate people that would like to have a special place where they can present, discuss and spread their activity.
Live.
These are just two examples that might not mean that much to you, but we have spent – and we still do – so many working months on them because our aim is to give a sense to our artisan laboratory, a real sense for all of us that live and work in this area. A sense that goes beyond the idea of “I make a perfect sofa, do you want to buy it?”
This is exactly the idea we have in our mind when we think about a new shop to open, when we find the right opportunity.
People are the connection, or let’s say: one person.
For instance, the Turin case gives us the opportunity to talk again about Marco Crepaldi: we have known this professional since many years and have always experienced extraordinary cooperation together.
Well, this is not enough. Marco works with us by virtue of another fundamental reason: his strong connection with the town of Turin.
With his contacts, his network and – why not – his friends in the beautiful Turin, he is the heart of that amazing meeting that in our opinion makes a shop a successful initiative: the meeting point between territory and relations.
We think this is the ideal place for a new BertO proposal, right here in this point where relations meet territory.
This happened some weeks ago in Turin and this will happen in Padua from 13th January on.
With Andrea Rossato, the store manager of the showroom in Padua, we have got a long and beautiful personal relation that goes beyond the professional cooperation.
We knew that in Padua there would be only one person we wanted for our showroom: his name is Andrea and he said yes.
A “yes” that comes from twenty-year memories, from intense human relations, from difficult moments sometimes, we do not deny it.
But Andrea has the proper energy to manage a business company, he has so many different abilities at all levels, his personality can become the “engine” of this situation and all BertO team is strongly supporting him in his new adventure with us.
Adventure?
Adventure. Because we are conscious of the fact that nowadays you sell nothing, you may propose, suggest and give some hints.
And this is possible thanks to one very important thing that most people underestimate: human relation.
We know it very well as we challenge ourselves with the web every day, we are committed to talk – in a very personal and direct way – with every single person that contacts us.
And then, do we really think that a sofa shop in Turin or a sofa shop in Padua, the most beautiful shops in the entire galaxy anyway, can make the difference?
No.
What really makes the difference, even in our showroom, is a cultural proposal, and with this demanding term we mean a culture based on relations.
Relation with the product, with people, with the territory.
Let’s use an example to make it clear: in the BertO showrooms you can find furniture products but at the same time there fridges full of hand brewed beers, vinyl records and electric guitars.
This is not simply a showroom: it is life, the life of that person that decides to stop, drink a beer with us and maybe speak as if in front of the local audience about a book still to write or about the business project in his mind.
And what about the sofa? It is there to sit and talk.
After all, it was a Venetian man that recently said that “successful companies are cultural leaders today”, our greetings to Giorgio Soffiato.
Finally, a personal note.
My family comes from Veneto: it is a great emotion for me to come back, get involved and work with a great friend of mine like Andrea.
We want to share this emotion with you and invite you all to come and visit us: you will find us in Via Maestri Calzaturieri del Brenta 38, Noventa Padovana (PD).
Ve spetemo ;-)!
Filippo Berto
