Our history

Hello, my name is Nicola Quadri and I’m from Montepulciano.

I have a good story to tell. My grandfather Livio Quadri was involved in 1941.

Want to know a special story? The one that marks the past of this historic shop in Montepulciano, which has existed since 1848 and where 5 generations have now followed?

Here it is!

It was the Christmas Party of 1941, grandma Bruna, expecting her third child, and grandpa Livio as always, were in the workshop.

The children, Tommaso and Silvana, small and playful, enjoyed their holidays. It was cold and, with other children, they started to play ball in the building opposite the shop.

One of the three boys, between shots, naively told a joke about the Duce! The ears of the first floor tenant, a fascist leader, were alert and the eyes recognized in the group the small Thomas, unique in the place.

It was lunchtime and everyone went home.

At the opening of the afternoon there was a nasty surprise.

Around 3 pm, the police Alfa Romeo arrived from Siena and took away Grandpa Livio and Tommaso who were beaten to death.

It was easy to see who had snitched!

The beating was to know the name of the person who told the joke! Grandpa didn’t talk because he didn’t know, Tommaso didn’t want to.

For almost two years it was Tommaso and Silvana who ran the shop. Grandma Bruna was engaged with the newcomer and grandpa Livio was forced to six months in prison and a year and a half of confinement.

The grace for his release came, a few months before 1943, thanks to the tireless grandmother Bruna who wrote many telegrams to the queen and was rewarded! A joke changed the life of a man and a boy! War, fascism, fear have shaped the lives of many.