The village of La Grange is flavored with a diverse palate of retail with more than 100 retailers comprising this charming Cook County community located 14 miles west of downtown Chicago. More than ten years ago, Olivaceto arrived on the scene in La Grange with its unique statement on experiential retail.

“We are an olive oil store. We are a tasting bar,” said Josie Rivas, owner of Olivaceto which takes its name from oliva in Italian, meaning olive, and aceto in Italian which means vinegar. “You can come to the store and taste our extra virgin olive oils and balsamic mixes from all over the world.”

“Why did we start this? The love of people, the love of communicating, the love of being part of a community and just showing people what healthy eating is all about,” said Josie. “Extra virgin olive oil is a superfood, and it’s very healthy. It helps you with high blood pressure, cholesterol and it’s just amazing what it can do for you. It enhances the flavors of any food that you have at your table.”

For Josie, Olivaceto is a vital thread in the fabric of downtown La Grange.

“Olivaceto matters here in La Grange, because retail shops are the heart of the city, of any city, of any town, and they bring a lot of people walking in the streets, communicating, meeting and exploring,” observed Josie. “They just make the city better and more vibrant. We are an amazing community here in La Grange because of retail.”

A family journey to wellness

The path to Olivaceto took shape with the determination of Josie’s family to embrace healthy living. For Josie, the seeds of her venture were planted years ago when her father faced a life-changing health scare.

“When my father turned 40 years old, he was diagnosed with diabetes and my mother said, ‘Okay, we’re going to have to change the way we eat,’” Josie recalled. “She started looking into superfoods. She started looking into extra virgin olive oil, avocado, just anything that has high antioxidants or high polyphenols. That’s how we came to learning more about extra virgin olive oil and all the health benefits that it brings to you and to our family.”

That personal experience stayed with Josie, even as her career took her in a different direction. Before opening Olivaceto, Josie had built a career working for a French company that sold hair care products to salons. She had no prior experience in retail before Olivaceto.

Then came a turning point during a vacation with her spouse.

“My wife and I got stuck in Maine in huge snowstorm. We saw this cute little grocery store, and we wanted to buy something to eat, so we walked in,” remembered Josie with a warm smile. “When we walked in, we figured out. ‘Oh, wow, this is not a grocery store. This is an olive oil store!’ We had such an amazing experience that we just wanted to bring it here in La Grange.”

A family affair

The heart of Olivaceto beats strongest with its personal approach to customer service and the genuine family connection that defines every interaction. Josie has cultivated a customer base drawn to quality and creativity.

“The kind of customers that we get here in the store are people who love to work in their kitchen. They love to be creative,” said Josie. “They’re health-minded, and they’re looking for things they cannot buy in a big box supermarket.”

Customers will discover products from across the world including Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Peru, Australia, and even olive oils from California. Part of what makes the shopping experience at Olivaceto work so well is that customers are encouraged to taste the oils and vinegars they are purchasing.

“Tastings are the heart of it all. These need to be experienced before they buy,” emphasized Josie. “You need to make sure you’re buying the right olive oil. It’s also a great opportunity for people to discover different olive oils as well.”

Running an independent retail store requires wearing many hats, as Josie has discovered firsthand.

“I am the window washer, the bookkeeper. I keep track of inventory, I get all the deliveries, I do my own shelves,” explained Josie as she looks around her store. “So, it’s just a lot of work.”

Yet, what sets Olivaceto apart is the personalized expertise that larger retailers simply cannot match, according to Josie. She explains that she infuses her own brand of creativity.

“I bring in my own perspective. I try to educate people about the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil and everything that I have here,” noted Josie. “That is something very unique that you do not get in a big chain store. Nobody there can tell you, ‘Here, buy this because this could help you with this kind of cooking.’ or ‘Here is what you can do if you want to create middle eastern food or a Greek food.’ At Olivaceto, we will guide you through all that.”

The family atmosphere at Olivaceto is very present the moment you walk through the door.

“Everybody that works here is family. My mother, Mercedes, my father, Antonio, my daughter, Emma, and my nieces, Lily and Melissa,” said Josie with evident pride. “So, this is a true family business.”

“Out of all the family, my mom and my father are here the most. So, a lot of people don’t know that my mom is 82 years old. I shouldn’t be telling you that!” Josie said with a loving laugh. “She’s 82 years old, and she runs the whole store when I’m not here. When I’m at the farmer’s markets, she’s here, and she does everything for me.”

The partnership with her mother has created something special, Josie noted.

“Having my mom and my dad run the store is amazing. We get to connect more, and it’s a partnership,” said Josie. “Also as a mother, daughter we collaborate nicely. It’s a wonderful experience.”

“My mother is able to relate to customers in a very unique way, because she loves cooking. Cooking is her passion,” explained Josie. “She also knows about the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil and balsamics.”

Watching her mother connect with customers has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the business for Josie.

“To see my mom talking to other customers and selling the stuff that I love makes me feel really, really happy,” said Josie with a smile. “It’s same passion that I have about this store.”

Beyond olive oils and vinegars, Olivaceto has expanded its offerings to include local honey, sauces, maple syrup, pastas, loose teas and much more.

“It’s important to sell these food items because they’re local and they’re healthy and they’re handmade by locals,” added Josie.

Making small business work

Like many independent retailers across Illinois, Josie is aware of the challenges that threaten the survival of small brick-and-mortar stores like Olivaceto.

“If I could talk to legislators in Illinois about retail, I would tell them that everything that they do, every policy, every policy change, affects business owners. We already have challenging things like the cost of rent, taxes and credit card processing fees. All of that. They’re hurting the small business owners,” stated Josie. “I’m not asking for a handout. I’m just asking them to be fair so that we can continue to keep our doors open and we can breathe. The small retailers should not be taxed and regulated like the big box stores.”

How to succeed

For aspiring entrepreneurs who may be considering your own specialty retail store, Josie’s advice is practical and heartfelt, drawn from her own journey building Olivaceto.

“The piece of advice that I would want someone to tell me when opening a store is to have fun. Also, your inventory is everything and should be unique,” advised Josie. “Be authentic with your marketing. Don’t look to see what everybody else is doing. Do your own thing.”

Beyond the creative aspects, Josie emphasized to us the importance of community engagement and thorough preparation when it comes to starting a retail business.

“Know your audience, do your due diligence, do your homework, join organizations, and join your local non-profit organizations,” explained Josie. “You could join the Chamber of Commerce here in La Grange. You could join the La Grange Business Association. Anywhere you can get your voice out! Join a farmers market. The farmers markets are where you actually get to showcase everything that you have to offer for the community.”

Why retail matters

At the core of Josie’s success is a genuine passion for human connections made possible by retail. For her, the joy of running Olivaceto extends far beyond the sale of her products.

“I love to connect with people,” said Josie. “I also love when people come into the store and they taste different things. I love to look at their faces and see how surprised they are when they actually taste real extra virgin olive oil and real balsamic.

“I love when they come back to the store and tell me how my olive oils and balsamics mix have changed their way of eating, and the way they cook their foods,” added Josie. “They bring their children, and they teach them how to eat healthy. I love that.”