When I first conceived of il Bel Paese, I envisioned a friendly neighbourhood place where people can get what they need on a daily basis. Even the name il Bel Paese, which means "it's a beautiful country", reflects my approach to life.
When Massimo Sfriso established il Bel Paese five years ago with his wife Elisa, he never imagined a specialty shop featuring fine Italian food products would blossom so quickly. Even more surprising is Massimo's background - he was a teacher and translator, and had no prior experience in the retail food business before jumping in headfirst. He started the business out of interest, but his entrepreneurial spirit has since turned a hobby into a thriving empire. Now he has three successful shops, of which the Starstreet branch has remained the most popular since it first opened in November 2004.
"I thought there was a market for this type of shop," says Massimo. "The expatriate market is well-served with big supermarket chains, but I didn't think there were enough small, residential shops in Hong Kong. I was confident there was a niche for us." He found inspiration for his shop from his hometown of Venice, where there are numerous neighbourhood-focused stores similar to il Bel Paese. "My grandmother had a grocery shop selling bread, milk and cookies," he recalls fondly. "When I was a little kid, I used to run around the shop."
When he first conceived of il Bel Paese, he envisioned a friendly neighbourhood place where people can get what they need on a daily basis. That's why he chose residential areas such as Starstreet where he could establish a more personal relationship with his customers. Even the name of his business reflects his approach to life. "It means 'it's a beautiful country," he explains. "Originally, of course, it comes from a poem that refers to Italy. But it is also a wish that any place people live, they should try to transform it into 'il bel paese'. For me, the shop allows people to come in and experience something related to food and beauty. It is a nice, relaxing, enjoyable atmosphere." The same ideology can be extended to Starstreet, as the neighbourhood has a similar ambience to the essence of the shop's name.
Massimo is constantly striving to improve il Bel Paese while remaining faithful to his vision of a European-style shop. For example, he began serving tailor-made sandwiches at the Starstreet shop in response to busy lunch-hour customers. "We try to accommodate everyone," he explains. "People can put avocado, mustard, whatever they want on their panini sandwiches."
Although Massimo now spends nearly all his time on il Bel Paese, he considers the business a passion that is well worth his devotion. He finds the shop teaches him about people and the bountiful delicacies his native Italy has to offer, including cheeses he had never even tried before. Another of the things he enjoys best about being an entrepreneur is how customers have turned into good friends.
He credits his success to the lively mix of people who frequent the Starstreet shop. These include residents who live on nearby Kennedy Road or StarCrest, shoppers out for a stroll, or office workers stopping by for a break.
"It's a place where I'd like to live. It is totally different than anywhere else in Hong Kong. There can be fine shopping during the day, it is a good place for office workers to have lunch and, in the evening, it can also be a fine dining area."