Ciao Bella Market is bringing Italy to Perry

PERRY —  Ciao Bella Market is officially open in Perry, and Owners Telisa Asaro and her husband are ready to share their love for Italy with the community. 

The business officially opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Nov. 14. Asaro said the turnout was great with excitement for the business, which left her and her husband feeling encouraged. They are receiving new products frequently. 

Ciao Bella Market offers a wide variety of traditional Italian retail items. This includes pasta, sauces, snacks, balsamic vinegars, olive oils, and more. It also offers home goods, such as kitchen items and cooking tools.

There is also a deli, featuring a menu of authentic Italian sandwiches prepared on a panini press. Asaro said they also have fresh pastries daily. 

Both the sandwiches and pastries are sold until they sell out. During their first weekend open, sandwiches sold out in less than two hours, according to Asaro. 

“We’re learning about the demand for it, so we’re adjusting every single day,” she said. 

Asaro’s husband was born and raised in Italy, while she was born and raised in middle Georgia. He moved to the area in 2000 for his job and eventually met Asaro in 2012. A year later, they got married. 

The couple visited Italy frequently and once planned to retire there. However, they didn’t want to be too far away from family in Middle Georgia, Asaro explained. 

“So we decided to bring Italy here, and we opened this market with all the things that we love about Italy, we just brought them here,” she said. 

Originally, Asaro planned for the business to be a retail space, offering items she brings back from Italy. She believed it would have been a fun way to connect with the community while sharing her love for the country.

The couple also owns another business called Float Robins, and they wanted to look for a space in Warner Robins to make it more convenient. Eventually, Perry felt like the right location. 

The business is located at the Chalet Lofts, and the owners offered her a space. Once she visited the property and its location, she loved it and decided it was the ideal place for the business. 

So far, the business has received good reviews and has been busy. Its sandwiches have been a hit, causing a lot of positive chatter on social media, Asaro mentioned. 

The business will also offer pasta-making classes where attendees can learn how to make their own pasta from an Italian-trained instructor. The instructor will provide the sauce, and the business will provide beverages and an apron to take home, Asaro explained. She shared that they had their first class on Sunday, and said it was a lot of fun. 

Asaro said their space was created out of pure love for Italy, its culture and its lifestyle. The business’s first Italian customer now frequents Ciao Bella for his morning espresso and is outside telling the public how authentic the store is.

“If you’re interested in Italy, if you love Italy, if you want to learn more about Italy, if you want to experience Italy here in middle Georgia, this is the place to come,” she said. 

Italian customers in the area are excited whenever they converse with Asaro’s husband in their native language, Asaro said. 

“I hear him speaking Italian throughout the day because people are excited to be able to come in and feel like it’s Italy,” she said. 

The owners want everyone to come in, get food and relax at Ciao Bella Market. Asaro shared that many authentic Italian items were not available nearby, but that has now changed.

“It’s just really exciting to be able to offer something new, interesting, different and awesome,” she said. 

Ciao Bella Market is located at 1009 Northside Drive in Perry. Its hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Sundays, it is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Asaro recommends signing up for their email list to stay informed about upcoming pasta-making classes and events. To stay up-to-date with the market, visit their website here. 

See their Facebook page here.