My Story

Dominic Rispoli

Co-Ceo

My early childhood influences revolved around several themes that prolifically shaped ‘my story’. My family consisted of many “creators”, each of whom used their hands and minds to bring unique items to life. My maternal grandfather was a craftsman making handmade wooden luggage, small leather goods and travel accessories. I have fond memories of he and I building several items together on summer days, each of which was a treasure to me. He instilled in me a sense of pride in building things, no matter what the canvas or category.

My paternal grandmother and grandfather immigrated from Italy and opened a local neighborhood restaurant one year before the Great Depression.

In those challenging times, the restaurant became a critical resource to the local community, and I have heard the many stories of how my grandparents would feed the community for no charge for long periods of time – even though they did not have extensive resources themselves. Santa Lucia Restaurant was in existence for over 50 years – quite an accomplishment. That restaurant was a workplace for many in our extended family and the influence of innovative “food creations” as bridge to enjoyment, family time, and conversations significantly impacted my youth.

My wife of 27 years and I have endeavored to bring traditions from each of our upbringings to our son and daughter (and our dog Rascal) while at the same time creating our own traditions.

Since well before our children could run, we started exploring with them, sometimes here in the vast and diverse U.S. and also around the world. We are passionate travelers and enjoy immersing ourselves in varied cultures – often choosing to rent local apartments in lieu of hotels and experiencing authentic cuisine at local restaurants. In many respects the interconnection between our world is incredible. I can vividly recall the most striking and beautiful sunset that I enjoyed with my wife on a cliff in Bali and compare it to the equally beautiful sunsets we enjoy often in the low country of South Carolina. We fill our home with certain special items that we have found on our travels as a reminder of the experience – a wonderfully framed picture of traditional Balinese kebaya clothes still is over our fireplace.

My more than two-and-a-half-decade career prior to Wisteria has been as an advisor to innovative consumer brands and retail companies regarding strategic, growth and financial strategies.

I have been blessed to have worked closely with numerous heritage consumer brands, including Baker Furniture, Urban Electric, Tiffany, Canada Goose, to name a few. Often, I worked with these companies at pivotal times in their growth and development. These interactions – often with the inspirational founders and leaders of the brands – have given me so much more than professional growth, but also driven my passion to do more and be a ‘creator’ of my own.

Becoming an owner of Wisteria feels like coming home and in many respects my life has come full circle.

The brand embodies so many of the qualities that served to build my personal foundation – craftsmanship, authenticity, and the importance of community. There is perhaps nothing more personal than providing products that a person interacts with on a regular basis in their home. I could not be more proud or excited to invite you on this journey as our team shares the world of Wisteria, our offerings, and our stories.