- Words by Tess van Straaten Photography by Lia Crowe
Manuel Bernaschek香蕉视频直播檚 path to representing one of Europe香蕉视频直播檚 top luxury clothing brands and selling some of the most coveted pianos in the world isn香蕉视频直播檛 what you might expect.
香蕉视频直播淚 worked at a bank for seven years, while I was in school and college, and then went into an accounting job, which, to be honest, was a little bit boring!香蕉视频直播� says Manuel, the rep for Stefano Ricci in Canada and the owner of Showcase Pianos. 香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 realize how much I liked interacting with people versus staring at a screen all day.香蕉视频直播�
The Coquitlam native started working in music stores instead, where his ability to speak Mandarin was put to good use selling pianos. It was here that he first heard about hand-built Fazioli pianos.
香蕉视频直播淎ll the research I did showed that anyone who touched a Fazioli piano said that it was a whole world of difference from any other piano,香蕉视频直播� the 47-year-old explains. 香蕉视频直播淚f price was no object, what would it take to make the best piano in the world? That香蕉视频直播檚 what Mr. Fazioli香蕉视频直播檚 goal was and they香蕉视频直播檙e used by top pianists.香蕉视频直播�
Manuel asked his manager if they could bring Fazioli pianos to Vancouver, but was told it wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be possible because the store was a Steinway piano dealer.
香蕉视频直播淢y wife, Judy, and I talked about it and we decided we could bring the brand to Vancouver,香蕉视频直播� Manuel says. 香蕉视频直播淲e opened up a shop in 2007 and a second location the next year, and the rest is history.香蕉视频直播�
In that first year of the business, the founder of Fazioli invited the couple to Italy to see their factory in Sacile, northeast of Venice. It was there, while visiting Rome, that Manuel discovered the luxury lifestyle brand Stefano Ricci, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e always been big into ties香蕉视频直播攁s a salesperson I always wanted to have a tie that was a conversation piece香蕉视频直播攁nd I saw the most incredible ties in Italy. I was in love! My wife said, 香蕉视频直播榃hy would you get a tie that expensive?香蕉视频直播� But for me, it was a work of art and I knew I had to bring the brand to Vancouver.香蕉视频直播�
They opened their high-end Stefano Ricci clothing store exactly 10 years later, in 2017.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 actually a bit of crossover between the two because we香蕉视频直播檙e meeting all sorts of fantastic families that are buying pianos and they香蕉视频直播檙e the type of people who aren香蕉视频直播檛 swayed by popular opinion,香蕉视频直播� Manuel says. 香蕉视频直播淭hey research and want the best, so that香蕉视频直播檚 how they find Stefano Ricci and Fazioli. They香蕉视频直播檙e not the kind of people who want to be like everybody else.香蕉视频直播�
Navigating the businesses through the first years of the pandemic wasn香蕉视频直播檛 without its challenges香蕉视频直播攅specially for the clothing store, which saw sales slump.
香蕉视频直播淪ales were basically dead because people didn香蕉视频直播檛 need new suits and accessories during that time,香蕉视频直播� Manuel explains. 香蕉视频直播淏ut we came back with our 香蕉视频直播榤ade to measure香蕉视频直播� events and that香蕉视频直播檚 really become a hot thing for Vancouver. We fly out a master tailor from Europe, one of the best master tailors in the world, and have live music and champagne and food.香蕉视频直播�
The first year of the pandemic five people ordered suits at the event. That number skyrocketed to 30 after things started to open up again.
香蕉视频直播淭hese are quite costly suits but they香蕉视频直播檙e the best,香蕉视频直播� Manuel says. 香蕉视频直播淭hey start at $13,000 for a made-to-measure suit and they go up to $50,000香蕉视频直播攁nd we had people in the entire range. But no one does the amount of measurements Stefano Ricci does, or the customization, or the incredible fabrics. We basically start where the other brands leave off in terms of the quality of the fabric.香蕉视频直播�
Piano popularity actually surged during the pandemic香蕉视频直播攕omething Manuel credits to people being stuck at home. Instead of travelling, they invested in pianos.
香蕉视频直播淓ven while the store was closed at the start of the pandemic, I put my number on the website and asked people to reach out to me if they wanted to see a piano and, sure enough, every couple of days, we had people coming in to look at a piano. I would just meet them there and then close up again.香蕉视频直播�
Manuel admits he香蕉视频直播檚 made mistakes along the way, which have all been learning experiences, but the biggest misstep was one he managed to avert before the doors even opened.
香蕉视频直播淚 wanted to partner with a friend, who香蕉视频直播檚 also a piano player, so we香蕉视频直播檇 have shared responsibility and I wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 have to be in the store seven days a week,香蕉视频直播� he recounts. 香蕉视频直播淚 offered him 25 per cent of the business香蕉视频直播攅ven though he wasn香蕉视频直播檛 putting any money in香蕉视频直播攂ut he said a 50/50 partnership would be better, and turned me down when I wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 agree to that. Now I look back on it and think I almost gave away part of my business! It feels great knowing I dodged that bullet.香蕉视频直播�
But the biggest lesson as an entrepreneur has been to not give up.
香蕉视频直播淲e really have to work hard for everything, and for me to even survive to this point, it香蕉视频直播檚 taken a series of almost endless miracles.香蕉视频直播�
One of those miracles was connecting with the owners of Westbank, while they were building the Shangri-La in Vancouver, and convincing them to buy a Fazioli for the hotel.
香蕉视频直播淚t took about 60 emails and phone calls to get a contact for the hotel香蕉视频直播檚 general manager and I finally found out where their off-site office was during the construction, and I went there with goodies,香蕉视频直播� Manuel says. 香蕉视频直播淚 could tell he was annoyed because he was trying to get rid of me the entire time and he said it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 even his decision. As he started to close the door on me, I found out who I needed to talk to at Westbank and we made a deal. To this day, we香蕉视频直播檙e very good friends with them and they香蕉视频直播檝e bought at least 26 pianos now for various properties. So, the moral of the story is, don香蕉视频直播檛 give up!香蕉视频直播�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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