![]() ![]() Traverso's Market opened in 1933 and for 87 of its 89 years operated in downtown Santa Rosa, moving three times. "Today, even Costco has salami," says George Traverso, Charlie's grandson and Michael's father, adding that although Costco may sell it, they don't know how to slice it correctly. Later this month, the store will change hands. Yet customer loyalty and wisdom accumulated over decades haven't been enough to overcome tough economic times and growing competition. Since 1987, Claudio Valentina has been Traverso's specialist, his skills one of myriad reasons the store has such a dedicated following. Improper handling and incorrect techniques destroy the subtleties of taste and texture that aficionados treasure. Slicing cured meats like pancetta, sopressata and mortadella takes skill and knowledge, as does breaking cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano into retail portions. With few exceptions, business is conducted as it always has been, with old-fashioned customer service, including charge accounts, and properly sliced prosciutto trumping "efficiency." Until the 1990s, purchases were rung up on a hand-cranked adding machine. There's no scanner at Traverso's, rendering black-and-white-striped bar codes irrelevant. The store still has about 20 customers with charge accounts, down from a peak of 80. At the end of the month, Traverso's will mail a statement and the customer will send a check. On a sunny afternoon in October, Michael Traverso, great-grandson of Traverso's founder Charlie Traverso, tears a yellow carbon copy from a receipt book, hands it to a customer, tucks the original under the cash drawer and closes the register. ![]()
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