Prada Fashion Boss Rescues Historic Newsstand In Tuscany

In a plot twist fit for the big screen, an iconic newsstand in the heart of Arezzo, Tuscany, has been rescued by none other than Patrizio Bertelli, the chair of the renowned Italian fashion house Prada. The newsstand's long-standing owner, 91-year-old Piero Scartoni, can finally hang up his newspaper apron and retire, thanks to Bertelli's intervention. It turns out that Bertelli, now a fashion mogul, was once just an ordinary customer frequenting Scartoni's newsstand back in the swinging '60s and '70s. "He used to buy a mountain of newspapers and magazines," Scartoni reminisced with a chuckle. "He was one special customer. And now he's one of Italy's richest folks. I'm thrilled that he came to the rescue." Scartoni himself is a local legend, renowned in Arezzo for his vast knowledge of newspapers and rare magazines. Over the years, his newsstand has become a hot spot for debating current events, with esteemed customers like the late film director Pier Paolo Pasolini making appearances. Yet, like many newsstands across Italy, Scartoni's business has faced challenges due to the decline in newspaper readership. "Nobody reads anymore," he lamented. "I used to sell 200 copies a day of La Nazione, and now it's a measly 65." Despite being eligible for retirement since 1996, Scartoni soldiered on with the help of his daughter, Cristiana. "I would keep going, but my family is urging me to retire," he confessed. "They keep saying, 'Dad, please retire.' I still come here and sell a few newspapers, but the bureaucracy has become overwhelming. I'm almost 100, so I guess it's time to hang up my newsman cape." Italy loses approximately 1,000 newsstands each year, and many small towns are left without a single one. "All the newsstands in Arezzo are up for sale, but nobody wants them," Scartoni revealed. "It's a tough job, starting at 5 a.m., and it's just not worth it anymore when you barely earn a dime." Expressing his concern about the decline in readership, Scartoni lamented, "The barbarians have arrived, and now artificial intelligence is on the horizon, ready to unleash its monstrous creations." In a whirlwind turn of events, Bertelli swooped in to save the day, shelling out a cool €100,000 to secure the newsstand, according to Corriere della Sera. This isn't the first time Bertelli has come to the rescue of historic establishments in Arezzo. He previously saved the iconic Buca di San Francesco restaurant, operating since the 1920s, and the charming 19th-century Caffè dei Costanti. With Bertelli's intervention, the newsstand's future is secure, and Scartoni can finally bid farewell to his beloved business. Arezzo's residents couldn't be more thrilled, hailing Bertelli as their very own superhero, saving the day with a fashionable twist. In a world where newsstands are disappearing faster than hotcakes at breakfast, this unexpected plot twist reminds us that sometimes, even the unlikeliest of heroes can emerge from the pages of our own history.