So this happened in the past week and today. There is a large antique market that is every Sunday from 3am-noon (yes 3am) that sells anything from paintings to caffettiere. I was with my mother this last Sunday and she bought a pair of wall lamps from a guy named Luciano. Luciano was interested in Americans who speak pretty decent Italian and we talked for bit. We eventually wandered into coffee and he saw some of my machines. He told me he knew a guy who owned some espresso machines and set up a meeting with him for today. We drove Luciano to and from his pick up place near where he lives in Casoria (north of Naples but south of where I live) to this man. Just note that before that Sunday we did not know who he was, and here we are ferrying this man in our car directing us to a place near Salerno after seeing him for the second time ever. We were chatting about everything and I had a fun time practicing my Italian, which has opened up horizons I did not expect in the past. Being interested in coffee is also a plus in Italy (who knew!).

We arrived and the man showed up soon after, and his name is Francesco. Showing us inside we found out what he did: he is an appliance distributor, including two espresso machine companies (Faema and Gaggia). It was started by his father in 1971 and he took over after him. He owns various machines, including an original 1948 Gaggia Classic and a 1908 machine called a De Mattei & Bartolini. He takes in machines for maintenance and sells various spare parts for Gaggia and Faema.




Franco showed me around and said anything I need for my Gaggia Tell project (short of the drip tray unfortunately. I did ask!) he can supply for a good price. Gaskets, heating elements, washers, even the piston cams and shafts he has. He also has antique Gaggia Grinders from the 40's to the 60's, and has offered them up to me for sale (~250 euro for each). I do not know enough about these grinders and the motors where three phase so I passed for now. I can always come back if I change my mind.





Just to sum up: through a man we have now met twice whom we bought a set of lights from at a weekly market we were introduced to another man who happened to have a hobby in coffee and is a distributor of Faema and Gaggia parts and machines, which I happen to have machines of. I now have a local supplier of spare parts and a new friend. To Americans this would be crazy but if I could sum up Italy, specifically Southern Italy, with a single event this is probably what I would use as the paradigm.

In my haste I forgot to include the Gaggia and antique machine!

Would be is key. He offered them to me at 4000 euro for the Gaggia and 8000 euro for the other one or 10k for both...