New Owners to Take Over Glorioso’s
Illinois-based ownership group to purchase iconic Italian market, pledges to 'keep everything the same.'
Glorioso’s Italian Market in May 2020. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
After nearly eight decades of family ownership, Glorioso’s Italian Market is being sold.
Brothers Carmine, Dominic and Paolo Presta, an Illinois-based family, are preparing to take over the specialty grocer, 1011 E. Brady St., with plans to honor and continue the store’s neighborhood legacy.
Carmine, who will serve as president of the new ownership group, said the transition will commence as soon as the licensing process is finalized.
“Our thing is to keep everything the same,” he said. “Same staff, same chef, same recipes.”
The brothers plan to work closely with the current general manager and registered agent, Michael Glorioso, who will act as an ambassador and adviser moving forward.
“We’re kind of like Michael’s younger generation that he’s always wanted, to see what he’s done with Glorioso’s, and to see it keep going forward and expanding,” Carmine said. “We thought it was a great opportunity.”
The Prestas, like the Gloriosos, are Italian.
Their father immigrated to the United States from Valli, a small farm town in Calabria, and opened his first small grocery market in Chicago in 1977.
The store, Valli Produce, has since expanded to include four locations throughout Illinois. As the brothers grew up, they each took up their own roles in the business.
“We focus on fresh produce,” said Carmine, noting that the markets also feature deli, fish, bakery and meat departments with 12 to 15 butchers on-site at each location. “We process everything at the store.”
The Presta and Glorioso families ultimately connected over a shared design firm, StoreMasters, which completed projects for both businesses. Given the parallels between his family and the Gloriosos, Carmine said the venture felt like a perfect match.
“They kind of put us two families together and we just hit it off. We’ve loved everything that they’ve done with Glorioso’s. So, being that our heritage is Italian, keeping the whole specialty Glorioso’s Italian Market, we thought it would be an excellent fit for us.”
Carmine said he and his brothers plan to travel frequently to Milwaukee, checking in on the store and making plans for future expansions throughout the state.
They also plan to retain all staff members, including Darin Wisniewski, who has been Gloriosos’ chef since 2011. Wisniewski will replace Michael Glorioso as agent and oversee day-to-day operations at the store.
Salvatore “Ted” Glorioso, 94, is the current owner and last remaining founder of the original Gloriosos. He, along with brothers Joe and Eddie, opened the Italian market in 1946.
In addition to a full range of specialty grocery items, Glorioso’s includes a full-service deli counter with made-to-order sandwiches, pasta, pizza and flatbreads, as well as gelato, espresso, cheese, fresh sausage and more.
Glorioso’s Appetito & Sage Harvest, a culinary center and demonstration kitchen, operates across the street in a 10,000-square-foot building that once housed the grocery store. The store relocated to its current space in 2010.
The Prestas plan to purchase the Glorioso’s Italian Market building in addition to the business itself. A final price for the sale has not yet been determined.
Michael Glorioso did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
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passing the torch.
It was nearly 50 years ago that Glorioso’s was my neighborhood grocery store. I could buy my “milk and bread” but also fresh meats that the butcher would cut while I watched. I would experiment with a variety of Italian food items with a little help from the Glorioso family members. But the meatball or marinara sauce recipes were a guarded secret.
Happy to know they’re keeping the tradition along with the recipes.