Marcello Giordano has opened Venditore by Giordano at 1845 Walnut Street, across from Rittenhouse Square. The 3,200 square foot Italian market + café fills the space vacated by Joe Coffee. The seating spans the frontage of the Rittenhouse office building.
“Ownership wanted a tenant that would serve both the needs of the tenants in the office building, and the sophisticated tastes of the Rittenhouse Row neighborhood,” said Allan Domb on behalf of the ownership of 1845 in a statement. “We wanted to find a local entrepreneur who would employee Philadelphians and build community. We need to create experiences that lift their spirits and give them hope.”
Marcello is continuing the legacy of his great grandparents, Paul and Frances Giordano, who originally opened Giordano’s as a market in 1921, at 9th and Washington in Philadelphia. The Giordano’s in the Italian Market is currently owned by one of Marcello’s 300 cousins.
12 years ago, Giordano’s opened a wholesale distribution company, run from their warehouse at Front and Tasker Streets. The company grew, and the Marcello counts more than 250 of the region’s top restaurants, retailers and caterers as his clients.
Further expansion occurred from the recent acquisition of a 105-acre blueberry, corn and tomato farm in New Jersey, visible to Philadelphians on the Expressway to the Jersey shore.
In the pandemic, Giordano’s home delivery business grew. They would send boxes of fresh produce and juices to Philadelphians all over the region, and partnered with local non-profits like Manna, Philabundance, Puentes de Salud We Are Philly and the Garces Foundation to feed large groups of people healthy food during the shutdown and beyond.
The delivery business remains strong, and Venditore will serve as both a pickup location for produce box, and a delivery hub for orders placed within 10 blocks of Rittenhouse Square.
Giordano’s Chefs are Executive Chef Lynda Murtha and Chef Brianna Mirarchi, and juices and specialty foods are run by Barb Stefani.
Marcello is collaborating with Rittenhouse Row, the neighborhood’s marketing organization, to introduce forgotten neighborhood favorites for sale at the store.
The public can find the following items at Venditore:
· Fresh fruit + produce
· Fresh bottled juices
· Seasonal plants (pumpkins + mums now)
· Acai bowls
· Salads, sandwiches, pastry and more made to order
· Breads from regional bakers including Sarcone’s, Cacia’s, Aversa’s and Merzbacher’s.
· Severino pastas
· Pantry items from all over the world
· Wines by the bottle
· Local beer from Human Robot
· Ready to drink cocktail cans from Top Dog
At the end of the year, the lobby of 1845 Walnut will undergo construction, to add an open kitchen for Venditore. This will allow chef collaborations: think Garces Peruvian Chicken and Jenn Carroll’s menu development items, allow caterers can use as a Rittenhouse home base for client tastings, and allow spectators to enjoy regular chef demonstrations and samplings.
Venditore is open from 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday and is closed on Sundays.
A second location is planned for Manayunk in 2023.
