Milano Home has positioned itself from the outset as a privileged interlocutor for retailers, listening to their requests and being sensitive to the demands of a segment that represents a significant component of the Italian production system. It has taken the pulse of those operating in the territory, from north to south, sounding out opinions and listening to proposals, stories, and suggestions.

The social value of local stores is now a proven fact, and Milano Home intends to offer them a platform to strengthen the community, support innovation, and make contacts between the parties more harmonious.

The theme at the center of these interviews is the relationship with suppliers.

Zanoletti: "Work ethics are the foundation of good collaborations"

Since 1885, Zanoletti has been selecting the excellence of the best brands for the home. Zanoletti's is a centuries-old story. Located in the heart of Vigevano, the shop windows overlook Piazza Ducale, one of the most beautiful squares in Italy. For decades it has been the reference point for couples building their nest and for families seeking beauty for their tables and homes, but over the years the store has also become a reference point for stylish and design-oriented gift ideas.

"I don't want to sound like an incurable romantic, but in a supplier, we seek a true ally," says Mariela Zanoletti. "We retailers are the last bastion of direct trade with the public in an almost completely digital world. Our daily work is to cultivate the relationship with the customer, understand their tastes, anticipate trends, and enhance the brands we represent in the eyes of the customer.

We would like all these elements to guarantee us some advantages over large digital platforms with almost infinite sales potential. We would like that, just as we enhance the brand, the brand would also value the commitment of those who still believe in the value of the direct purchasing experience and of city commerce.

We select suppliers who respect the production chain, in line with sustainability policies, both in the production and distribution phases; we are very attentive to collaborating with production realities that care about the relationship with their employees and who respect the criteria of work-life balance. We have always believed that work ethics are the foundation of good collaborations, so we seek realities that share our same values for work and the environment, respecting everyone."

Pellegrino (Calabria Regali): "We ask companies for clarity"

Calabria Regali is a company that has been operating for over 40 years (1982) and is based in Amantea (Cosenza). The store is spread over two levels with 300 square meters of exhibition space. It is a regional reference point for wedding favors, and among the most represented brands are Alessi, Rosenthal, Lladrò, Sambonet, and Swarovski.

"Over the years, I have taken care to select suppliers based on their positioning, distribution, and quality of the products offered. I have a good relationship with the entire network, but the treatment must be homogeneous. Today the market is very fragmented, companies should be clearer with customers and not give too much space to their websites. It's not the online sale that is in question but the procedure that underlies it."

Casale (Galleria Casale): "Creativity and enthusiasm to operate profitably"

From Calabria to Basilicata, where Milano Home met Antonello Casale, who together with his wife Rosanna Ramunno has been managing Galleria Casale since 1986, specializing in giftware, lighting, and furnishings, with iconic brands and at the forefront of design. The current location, located in Rionero in Vulture (Potenza), designed by architect Ulderico Lepreri, owner of the Ulderico Lepreri Design Project Studio, was inaugurated in 2011.

"With suppliers, we often establish a friendly relationship," explains Casale. "This allows us to trust them fully, to compare notes and accept their advice. I believe that transparency, sincerity, honesty but also creativity, enthusiasm, and constant updating are the most suitable characteristics for operating in synergy, and it is precisely on the basis of these values that I select suppliers and brands."