South Pasadena is set to experience a slice of Italy as Visionarium, a new authentic Italian products shop, celebrates its grand opening in conjunction with the third annual Made in Italy Expo on Oct. 19-20, 2024.
This unique combination event introduces genuine Italian lifestyle and products to the local community in a unique way while promoting cultural exchange and international business development in Southern California.
“We decided to do both together because we are all Italian in our company… We have the vision to show to the locals how we usually live in Italy, and what are the real ingredients,” said Pasadena resident Lorenzo Lisi, co-owner of Visionarium. “Our main job is the open market for the Italian companies that want to establish their business over here in U.S.”
The free admission expo will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Visionarium, located at 1020 Mission St. in South Pasadena.
The event will feature 60-70 Italian products, with 10 vendors from Italy attending in person.
Visitors can expect a wide range of offerings, including Italian wine, beer, Spumante, appetizers, art, fashion, and cosmetics. This combination of shop grand opening and Expo represents a significant cultural and commercial milestone for the Pasadena area.
Lisi, an Italian native born in Florence with extensive experience in finance, tax consultancy, and international business development, chose South Pasadena for its European-like atmosphere.
“First of all, because I live in Pasadena, in Linda Vista and close — dealing with the traffic in LA is not my thing. The main point is I love the area and I believe that Pasadena or South Pasadena is the most European area all around LA. It’s quiet. There is a lot of green. It is more similar to Italy instead to Hollywood,” he explained.
The event is part of a larger vision to promote Italian culture and assist Italian businesses in entering the U.S. market. Lisi, who moved to California in 2016, emphasized the challenges faced by Italian companies adapting to American regulations and financial management practices.
Visionarium aims to be an active part of the South Pasadena community.
“We want to be part of the community and we would love to work with the community to be proactive and more present for everyone,” Lisi stated.
The company also runs a nonprofit organization, demonstrating their commitment to giving back while promoting Italian culture.
“We love to help children in need, with the 10% of our purchases we give to our nonprofits,” Lisi added.
Lisi shared ambitious plans for expansion.
“We want to open eight of the same shops all around Los Angeles to be more in the market. And for us it’s challenging because not just selling products, we just show how the Italians live because in our shop we’ll open a wine bottle with Italian peppers to accompany of course the drink,” he said.
The growth strategy aims to further introduce authentic Italian lifestyle experiences to Southern California.
Lisi also serves as a councilor of the Comites of Los Angeles and the President of the “Entrepreneurship and Commerce” committee, further emphasizing his commitment to promoting Italian-American business relations.
Tickets for the Made in Italy Expo are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/
