The closing day of the Manzoni’s bakery.

Close to my Photographic Studio there is an historical baker of Paullo.
On June 30th at 7:00 pm, Mrs. Giulia made her latest receipt.
After 57 years of activity and 80 years on his shoulders, he decided to close “Il Fornaio Manzoni” to the public permanently.
Decision taken together with the sons, Rita, Fausto and Carlo. People of a place that has marked the history of this town.

A reality that probably everyone knows in his own town.
Those places that really mark the importance of a community.
Those artisans who carry on traditions and flavors, the soul of our peninsula.

Paullo is a city of 12’000 inhabitants and there are 4 supermarkets that, for several years now, are obliged by law to sell “fresh” bread to their customers.
This law, in addition to hurting bread consumers since much of it has industrial origins, has caused substantial damage to bakers.
In fact, consumers find themselves comfortable shopping in one place rather than going to the bakery specifically.
A passive purchase without any faults, which is generated from this administrative decision.
As a consequence, a precious product such as bread becomes a product without any kind of cultural value.

That day I visited 5 times the Manzoni’s bakery.
Behind their smiles there was the sadness of this decision.
Far from the time when we were going to have a special bread for a snack after school. Now the school has been decentralized.
Is increasingly difficult to resist for local dealers when the purchase is directed to shopping centers. There are 6 within 10km and a seventh under construction.
Complicated to have complicity with other stores when the opening of new ones is not regulated. Just think that there are 18 hairdressers and as many bars.
The bakery therefore represents so many activities that are suffering this unhealthy civic management in the town.

This photo-report wants to honor the work done by this small but representative reality.
By reasoning who, at the top, makes decisions without having an extended overview.
Without having civic interest for the soul of a town, of many towns, of Italy.

In my eyes the expressions of many customers who returned to the bakery that day, disbelieving and displeased.
They found on their shoulders a strange sense of guilt unrequited by themselves.