An Interview with Brad L. Parberry of Cavallini & Co.

Many of you have bought and used the beautiful products created by Cavallini & Co., but you may not know the man behind the brand. Here's a look at Figg Street Co.'s interview with Brad L. Parberry, the creator of Cavallini & Co., founded in 1989.

Where did you grow up?

Bellingham, Washington (USA).

Did anything in your childhood point you toward a future in stationery?

Yes, my uncle Sam Cavallini was a Norcross Card Company salesman. He would bring boxes of counter cards to me to use. I also sold boxed Christmas and birthday cards door to door.

What gave you the idea to create Cavallini & Co.?

I saw the opportunity to bring beautiful Italian art calendars and handmade paper from Amalfi to the US market. Nothing like this existed in the US so I thought it would be successful.

What aspect of stationery appeals to you most?

Superior paper stock and true period imagery.

What inspires you when you create new products?

Collaborating with our designers and working with our archive of vintage images.

What's most exciting to you right now about stationery, business, and life?

The most rewarding thing is working with kind people.

Who's inspired you in your life and how so?

My childhood creative friend Ira Yeager who recently passed and my mom.

What are your favourite colours to work with in your creations?

There is no particular one color, I love all colors and especially hand colored images.

Do you create the designs of the stationery, or does someone else do that for you?

We have a creative team of designers that work with our archive to create our designs.

What's the best advice you've ever received? Worst?

Best advice is less is more, do one thing and do it well and stay focused. Worst advice is listening to what others say we should do or be. We know what we should do and we follow our own path.

What's your favourite aspect of the business?

I get the most joy collaborating with my colleagues.

How many people work at Cavallini & Co.? Does everyone work from the same location?

We have 24 employees and we all work together in the same location in South San Francisco, California.

What's your favourite writing instrument?

No.2 pencil.

What the best book you've ever read?

A short story called “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant.

What's your favourite way to spend your time?

Gardening and collecting images for our archive.

Have you ever visited the Niagara region? If not, do you intend to?

Unfortunately, no but this is on my list for sure as well as Mt. Rushmore.

We hope that we'll be able to welcome Brad to Niagara sometime soon. And we hope that you enjoyed this interview and get a chance to head outside and explore the region during this gorgeous time of year. What inspiration can you find for your archives?