Nearly 150 years ago, Alison Metzger's great grandparents moved from Italy to the U.S., opening their open candy and produce store in Kansas. Five years ago, their name became the inspiration for Metzger's own business venture - Cassella's Kitchen.
Drawing from her own work experience at Halls, a Kansas City specialty retail store owned by Hallmark, Metzger saw opening her own business as the next logical step in her career.
After research, she discovered that items for the kitchen was one of the most profitable and strongest growing categories in retail.
"Looking at what Muncie had to offer, we felt that it was a niche that was missing in the area and surrounding areas," Metzger said.
Cassella's Kitchen offers a wide variety of items ranging from gourmet foods to every kind of kitchen accessory imaginable. She even offers several environmentally friendly lines featuring green and recycled products.
But even with the variety, each item has one thing in common. They are all quality, top of the line products.
"I try to carry top of the line in the individual categories," she said. "I know that I can't compete with the big box stores and I don't want to. So I look for quality."
She and her husband have been using several brands, such as All-Clad cookware and Wusthof knives, in their kitchen for years. Because she had personal experience with their quality, she decided to sell the brands in her store.
Although the price points for some of her items are a little more expensive ($70 to $120 for a Wusthof cook's knife), she said that the quality and craftsmanship are worth it. In addition, some of the pieces have lifetime warranties.
Her husband, Kenan Metzger, assistant professor of English, agreed.
"It's really something that you have to think about carefully, especially if you do any kind of cooking at all," he said. "Are you going to buy something that is inexpensive and then have to buy 10 more in your lifetime? Or are you going to buy just one and have something that's going to last you forever and really that you're going to hand down to your kids and your grandkids."
Growing up with German and Italian influence, Alison Metzger is aware how cooking and food can bring a family together. Whether that's through passing down recipes or cookware. Every holiday was filled with food, she said.
"I think it's an important part of your life to share your time with your family and it's the perfect place to do it at the dining room table," she said.
As for the future of the store, she says it can only keep growing.
She gets new items and ideas for vendors from trade publications and by attending shows such as the International Home & Housewares Show.
"I know that there's a lot of things out there that we haven't even scratched the surface with," she said. "A lot of vendors, a lot of new gadgets, there's always so many things on the market."
The number one item that her self-called "eclectic" customer base buys is utensils. On a long wall on the left side of the store hangs everything from knives to whisks. Yet, she said she's barely scratched the surface in that category of items either.
"There's so much more that I could bring in," she said.
Cassella's Kitchen holds everything a cook may need - even the inexperienced one.
Kenan Metzger, who Alison said is the cook of the family, suggests that everyone needs a good cook's knife, frying pan, fresh ground pepper and sea salt. Everything else is just extra.
For those who are wary about cooking, he said not to be afraid to try new things and experiment with different spices, sauces and seasonings.
"Food in and of itself is ordinary but what you add to it is what makes it gourmet," he said.
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