Hidden Gems: Meet Kerry Antonuccio of Antonuccio’s Italian Market

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerry Antonuccio.

Kerry, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The root of the business is a combination of my family heritage, love of Italian food and culture, affinity for small, local businesses, and the desire to create something unique that could also meet many of the needs of the community and neighborhood where I live, and the market is located. Although I grew up in Fort Wayne, in fact, just a few blocks away from the market, I spent a lot of my childhood visiting my grandparents and large extended Italian family in western New York during the summer and holidays. There I was introduced to many neighborhood markets that specialized in Italian meats, cheeses, breads, and pastries. Additionally, after finishing graduate school, I moved to Boston, where I spent a lot of time in the North End, Boston’s Italian neighborhood, enjoying the intimate neighborhood feel and frequenting some of the best Italian restaurants and bakeries in the country. Once I returned to Fort Wayne, I knew I wanted to bring not only the same authentic food and experience to this area but specifically to my neighborhood, where the market could also serve as a place to bring families and friends together. 

Some of the most rewarding experiences since opening the market have been with the many, many customers who come in, sometimes traveling over 2 hours and share their own stories of their grandmother’s all-day sauce or their uncle’s famous meatballs, and they describe how my store brings them back to those very happy times. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The business is a highly curated market where 95% of the products are imported, and transportation in refrigerated trucks directly from the East and West coasts to my store in Fort Wayne has to be arranged weekly. There are no other stores within 200 miles that have a comparable selection, so the sourcing and transportation of the hundreds of imported products offed at Antonuccio’s is my single biggest challenge. It is also what makes the market unique and provides customers with a truly authentic Italian market experience. 

Of course, the Covid pandemic was also an enormous challenge, particularly given that the market opened just a few months before everything began to shut down. However, because we had already developed a strong and loyal customer base of neighborhood shoppers and those seeking authentic Italian products, we were able to keep going throughout the Pandemic. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The largest draw at Antonuccio’s is the slicing deli. We have a wide selection of imported Italian cheeses and cured meats, including multiple ages of our customer’s favorite, Prosciutto di Parma. We also prepare daily sandwiches, charcuterie boxes, and fill cannoli for either dine-in or carry-out. You can stay for a box and a glass of wine while you shop or call ahead and have something ready for you to pick up on the way to your family gathering. 

With our huge selection of pasta, it’s very likely you will be able to find your favorite shape to pair with your favorite sauce. 

What also sets us apart at Antonuccio’s is our focus on the customer experience. We have very friendly and knowledgeable employees who are available to walk you through your product selection, help build a meal, or work with you to order a custom gift basket. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.antonuccios.com/
• Instagram: antonucciositalianmarket