Italian Pottery Outlet Celebrates 40th Anniversary

For many, Italy represents all things romantic, with its reputation as the birthplace of the Renaissance, radically salable cuisine, and ethereal topography. Luckily for us, over the past 40 years, there has been a little slice of Italy right here in Santa Barbara — State Street’s Italian Pottery Outlet, which celebrates its momentous anniversary on April 1.

The outlet, which at first glance appears to be a charming and colorful boutique, is a multifaceted family business, started in 1982 by couple Ben and Carol Spalluto and expanded upon through their children Julie, Adele, and Joe.

Adele notes, referencing her father’s native town of Castellana Grotte before moving to the U.S. in the 1950s, “We are very proud of our Italian roots and have a lot of family living in the south of Italy. Our business is in its second generation and hopefully it will be passed down to our next generation when we are ready to retire. The designs vary depending on the regions they are from; for example, the ones that have Renaissance designs come from outside of Florence in Tuscany, and the bright-colored folk art designs are from Sicily.”