Aug 22, 2008

Retailer Poggi Bonsi sees its wholesale efforts fall, but sales on the website are picking upBy Kirsten GrindSeattle.BizJournals.com

To hear the stories, you would think Keli DeRitis and Michelle Codd were running a travel company, not a Burien gift store with a quirky name.

The business partners and longtime friends are owners of Poggi Bonsi and they know your first question is: What the heck does that mean?

The store, pronounced “poe-jee bone-see” is named for an Italian town in Tuscany, and the origin of the name is one of many stories the owners have about their travels through Italy looking for unusual products.

All of those stories — including their unexpected dinner with an Italian count and their time with an endearing supplier named Fernando — can be found on their website (www.poggibonsigifts.com) on a new blog launched several months ago.

It’s part of the European import company’s recent overhaul of its website, part of its effort to boost sales across the country and the world, particularly at a time when retailers everywhere are suffering through a down economy.

“We’ve had some really interesting things happen to us,” said DeRitis about their travels.

The partners actually run two stores — the original store of the same name in Burien’s historic district and a kitchenware store called Cucina located two doors down, both filled to the brim with Italian imports and eccentricities from other countries. Together, the two businesses saw sales of about $1 million last year.

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