ANTIPASTI MARKET
On my bike ride home, over the course of several weeks I noticed the marque sign on US1 near 62 Avenue as a store was being built-out. A more than serious Italophile, having a gourmet market close by was an exciting prospect for at home dining and entertaining. When the store finally opened, I visited with owner Sergio Mantica and his wife, Claudia.
Sergio’s ancestral family is from Diano Marina in the Ligurian region near Genoa. The family emigrated to Nicaragua. Sergio grew up in Miami and was keen on bringing the family’s culinary retail concepts to Miami. Five years in the planning, he opened on US 1.
At Antipasti Market, appreciative customers will find exceptional cheeses, charcuterie, pantry specialties, and handcrafted boards that transform casual gatherings into elevated food and wine experiences. It took months to secure a wine license, and the shelves will be full. They also provide exquisite catering services with their Azafran Catering Gourmet company. Customized Gift baskets are available. A grand opening is planned. Stay tune to SOMI on the details.
6148 South Dixie Hwy | Open Monday-Saturday 10:30a – 7:00p
GEE BEAUTY
I made my way over to the east side of Red Road for the opening of the expanded GEE BEAUTY concept. With more than twenty years of redefining modern beauty, a new studio opened in South Miami. The studio brings the brand’s effortless approach to glowing skin, easy, everyday makeup, expert brow shaping, and streamlined beauty routines to a neighborhood seeking upscale treatments and products.
Founded in Toronto in 2005 and coming to Miami Beach in 2011, they have built a loyal following over the years. Of their move to SOMI, Natalie Gee noted “We are excited to bring GEE BEAUTY to the neighborhood. The new studio reflects our brand’s ethos, serving as both a beauty destination and community hub.”
GEE BEAUTY continues to evolve beyond the traditional studio model, offering a fully integrated experience that blends services, products, and personalized guidance. Its multi-generational perspective remains central to the brand, fostering long-standing client relationships and a strong sense of community within each location.
GEE BEAUTY is a multi-generational team, created by mother-daughters Miriam, Natalie, Celene and Stephanie, who have shaped the business into an experience rooted in expertise, trust and accessibility.
GEE BEAUTY is located at 7283 SW 57 Avenue. For more information, visit geebeauty.com.
The Guest House
My next stop is also on the east side of Red Road, and directly north of Sunset. It’s here we meet up with a familiar face and name in South Miami, Lourdes Leon Vega. Lourdes now brings a new vision for curated retail with a thoughtfully designed shared home for distinctive brands, creative experiences, and community. The Guest House is inspired by the spirit of hospitality, where she reimagined the traditional storefront as a shared home — one where brands are invited to be “in residence,” and every guest is welcomed with warmth and intention.
The space is currently home to Little Cottage, a personalizing boutique offering customized baby, kids, and lifestyle products; LINNETTE, a Miami-based designer of versatile, sustainable handbags handcrafted in Italy; and Doodle Lane, known for its handcrafted children’s clothing and accessories. The Guest House also features custom embroidery, bespoke gifts, and Ohh My Sweetness bakery, alongside a rotating selection of guest brands chosen with care.
The Guest House offers a stunning event space available for private celebrations, brand activations, workshops, photo shoots, and more – a versatile venue for the community to enjoy.
The Guest House is located at 6917 SW 57 Avenue. www.theguesthousemiami.com
SELF
Staying on the “Sunset East” side of the South Miami business district, I met up with Danny Sanchez who just recently opened his new lady’s boutique SELF in the original OHM location.
Born and raised in Miami, a graduate of St. Brendan’s, he’s been in the ladies’ fashion business for years. In the late 1990s he opened Mia in Coconut Grove, had another store on Bird & 57th, on Key Biscayne, and spent seven years managing high-end multi-store locations in Bal Harbour and environs.
With twenty-seven years in styling, Danny has a loyal customer base and has dressed three generations of customers. At SELF he knows the ladies will appreciate “looking good and feeling good, without breaking the bank.” He carefully curates the look and has his clothes manufactured in the USA. Danny notes “The self is the union of an individual’s conscious and unconscious attributes, including thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations that constitute their unique identity, personality, and sense of being.”
Danny and with a friend and client Alexis.
Self is located at 1561 Sunset Drive on the east side of Red Road.