Coming Home to Chapel Hill

There are some moments in life that feel like they have been a very long time in the making. The opening of the new VIETRI Flagship store in Chapel Hill is one of those moments for me.

When I think back to where VIETRI began, it is almost hard to believe how far we have come. In 1983, my mother, my sister Frances and I took a trip to Italy that changed the course of our lives. We fell in love with the beauty we found everywhere–the extraordinary craftsmanship, the colors, the food, the way people gathered together, and most of all, the Italian way of making everyday life feel special.

That trip became the inspiration for VIETRI. And now, more than forty years later, we are bringing that inspiration home to Chapel Hill.

A Store I've Dreamed About

For years, I have imagined creating a place where people could experience VIETRI in a completely different way. Not simply a store filled with beautiful things, but a place that captures the feeling of Italy.

I wanted you to be able to walk through the door and feel transported, to see something beautiful, discover something unexpected, find a special gift, plan a dinner, learn a little about Italian craftsmanship, or simply spend an afternoon surrounded by things that make you happy.

The new VIETRI store will, of course, be filled with our dinnerware, home décor, glassware and linens. But it will also include something very personal to me: a collection of special treasures I have discovered during my travels throughout Italy. Think beautiful jewelry, handbags, art, gifts, clothing, and those wonderful little finds that make you stop and say, “I have to have this.”

Those discoveries have always been part of the joy of traveling in Italy, and I wanted to bring that sense of discovery into the store.

Why Chapel Hill?

There was never really any question about where this store should be. VIETRI may have started with a trip to Italy, but the business itself was born right here in Chapel Hill. It began with a dream, a love of Italy and a lot of excitement about what might be possible.

Chapel Hill has been part of our story from the very beginning. It is home. It is where our family lived, where our business began and where so many of the people who believed in VIETRI along the way have called home, too.

Opening our flagship store here feels like coming full circle. But it also feels like the beginning of something new.

More Than a Store

One of the things I love most about Italy is the way people gather. There is always a reason to linger a little longer, share another story, pour another glass of wine and enjoy being together.

That is the feeling I want this store to have.

I want it to be a place for our VIETRI family, but also a place for the Chapel Hill community and for anyone who loves Italy, beautiful things and gathering with people they love.

We envision hosting celebrations, conversations, book signings, artisan demonstrations, workshops and all sorts of gatherings throughout the year. I hope people will come to discover something new, but stay because they feel welcome.

There is something wonderful about having a place where people can slow down and connect—and I believe we need more of those places.

Bringing Italy Home

When I look back at that first trip to Italy with my mother and sister, I could never have imagined where it would lead us. What began as a love affair with Italy became a company, a community and a family of customers who have shared so many of life's special moments with us.

Now, we have the opportunity to create a physical place where all of those things can come together.

Italian craftsmanship. Southern hospitality. Beautiful things. Wonderful people. And, most importantly, a reason to gather.

I can't wait to open the doors and welcome you in. After all these years, it feels incredibly special to finally bring a little bit of Italy home to Chapel Hill.

Benvenuti. Welcome.

Susan Gravely