What is the unmarked store?
The lira, an outdated and now useless currency are repurposed to make something beautiful. Coins not used since 2002 are cleaned so Repubilca Italiano can be read clearly and made into necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. This is the life of the unmarked store in a nutshell. It is a reference back to the birth of Florence. Those who work in the store and the owner love the history of their city and see their store as a call back to simpler times. A time before the euro and even a time farther back before the lira. They have tied themselves to the antiquity of Florence and give their customers the Florentine goods we all crave. The store is an explosion of creativity on the inside, but you would not realize it just passing by it. There are no signs or information about what the store is. It is a completely unmarked store. It is a jewelry store that has a wide collection of necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. There are also shelves of journals, some bags, and random items scattered around the store. Each artisan was picked carefully by the old woman who owns the store. They say that it is from the small artisan that Florence was born- another testament to the history of their beloved city. Following true to their love for history and tradition there is absolutely no online presence. They have no website, social media, or anything. If you look up the address of the store you will see the storefront of the unmarked store, but it has this name: Eredi di Pastacaldi Giulia. None of the workers know this name and those I have talked to have never heard of it. It just appeared. No one knows where it came from. For the workers, they just call the store by its address, but for me, it is the mysterious unmarked store.
How do I find the unmarked store?
I stumbled into the store on my way back from walking aimlessly around the city. It is not a hard place to stumble into. Even though the store doesn’t have a sign it is in a great location in between the Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti. If you are really making it your mission to get there then the formal address is Via de’ Guicciardini, 118R, 50125 Firenze. However, I loved walking down this street and looking into every store window until I came across their intriguing storefront. It was the start of my adventure here and with a store such as this you must find it by accident. It’s part of the experience. You are uncovering a secret and you might need to do a little digging. You are being let into the secret society of the unmarked store.
Who makes the jewelry?
All of the jewelry is made in Florence and those who make them work in the store and you can usually spot them working on their pieces as they are working the register. If you ask them they will show you where their stuff is located and will work you through the process of making their pieces. One of the artisans at the shop is Simona and she is possibly the most graceful woman I have ever met. She does a lot of different pieces. Simona loves what she does because everything is hand made and original. She says that sometimes people will come in and want two of the same thing, but it is almost impossible because no matter what, it will always be slightly different. Everything is a creation of its own and you can be ensured that what you buy will be one-of-a-kind. Her pieces are mostly made out of recycled pieces like old zippers or lira. She loves making new uses out of old items. Simona is also up for making anything. One woman came in and was interested in the Lira jewelry she makes, but wanted it to be gold. Simona explained to me that the coins were not historically in that color, but she was happy to work on it and make it happen for the woman. The lady came in again after the next few days to pick up her dyed Lira necklace and earrings. Simona was so proud that she could help the woman create what she wanted. If you walk in and she is working, the rest of your day will be spent with a smile on your face. She says she does not speak English well, but it is absolutely flawless and if you want to practice your Italian she will help you along and she won’t make you feel embarrassed. Even though the unmarked store does not have a name or a website you can find Simona’s work online. If you look up Comespora it can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy. She did warn me that it takes her longer to do anything online than it does to complete one piece of jewelry, but you should definitely check out her work.
What kind of jewelry can I find there?
This place is eclectic and has so many different styles. There are pieces made out of zippers and fabrics, some just made out of buttons, some are random things found throughout the city, and they also have cameos which are pendants made out of a carved shell. There is even a section where everything is made out of up-cycled technology. You can tell each maker’s personality as you drift to different parts of the store and discover what they make. If you are looking for a wild statement piece or a casual fleur-de-lis to signify your time in Florence you will have a successful trip to this shop.
What is the quality of the jewelry?
This is purely costume jewelry. I purchased a cameo of the goddess flora necklace for 26 euros. It is said to bring me good fortune. The pendant is beautiful, but the chain is magnetic. I had asked one of the workers if she had made it and she had not, but she told me that it truly was made out of a shell. I like to believe her, but walking on the Ponte Vecchio and seeing the prices for some of the cameos does make one a little suspicious. However, at the end of the day, I don’t really care. I love the necklace. I had looked up to see how to tell if a cameo is authentic and it involved purchasing a magnifying glass and examining it and I realized it didn’t really matter. No one is coming that close to my neck to decide if my pendant is real. I have visited the store a few times and have yet to meet the man who makes the cameos for the store.
Who Is The Owner?
I would love to tell you, but I truly do not know. Part of me loves this eerie mystery, but at the end of the day, I need to solve it. Also, if you ever find out who or what Pastacaldi Giulia is please let me know.
