The Shoal in Sicily October 2023

I've been writing this blog for a long time!  Must do better with blogs!

In the 2nd half of October 2023 off we went once again to visit Gianfranco and his family and team.  This was our 2nd visit to Sicily on Shoal business and we were very excited. This was the first time we had flown into Palermo and the last time Pete flew into Palermo was 1973 with his nan!  Here he is on the runway in the sunshine...

We picked up our car and headed south to the small seaside town where Gianfranco lives.  We knew the town from our first visit in 2022 so after we had checked into our hotel what did we do?  Headed to the local hidden beach for a sunset swim in crystal clear waters.  

Next morning bright and early we headed to the factory, walking distance from our hotel.  It was great to see the family again.  This time we had someone who could translate, Adriana who is the niece of Gianfranco.  It made it much easier to discuss and negotiate.  With these pieces being handmade then supply chain is the biggest challenge for us and we were able to make a good plan for 2024. 

Here is the maestro handpainting each individual Red Snapper, using the real fish displayed on his computer screen for detailed reference.

We even got a chance to make some fish, Barracuda and Atlantic Amberjack.  It was great to get stuck in and learn more about these artisan processes.

Back in the UK we were able to put our new experiences to good use, helping our customers to create their own unique Shoals and wall art!