Garden industry veteran Peter Cilio dies
Camania, Peter's founder was 78
-- Home Accents Today, 1/6/2009 7:24:00 AM
Soccorso Pierino (Peter) Cilio, a renowned entrepreneur, artist and iconic fixture of the gardening industry, died Dec. 16 at his home in Blue Bell, Pa., after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 78.
Cilio founded Peter’s Home and Garden Center in Quakertown, Pa., in the early ’70s. Peter’s pioneered the importing of Italian terra cotta to the states after Cilio, born in Ponte Romito, Italy, saw there was no resource for the handmade terra cotta pottery he wanted for his own garden.
After 11 years of supplying rare and beautiful garden accessories thru retail, the demand for those very special handmade terra cotta pots from southern Italy began to reach far beyond the local region. Cilio and his son, Anthony, decided to venture into wholesale. To build the line, Peter’s created a variety of cast stone products with original and authentic hand-applied patinas. In 1988, Cilio’s son, Joseph, joined the company full-time, and over the next decade, the trio developed a line of unique mix of cast stone items with Cilio’s hand-applied patinas. The small wholesaler began to evolve into a full design and production company. So was born Campania Imports.
Cilio retired from his wholesale business in 2000 when he sold Campania International to a Philadelphia company that continues to operate the business today. At the same time, at the age of 70, Cilio returned full time to focus his energies on his retail store. Until this last year, Cilio continued to develop his specialty retail store with European style garden accents, plants, casual furniture and more. The retail division of Peter’s continues to be operated by the Cilio family today and remains a staple of the Philadelphia garden community.
Cilio’s legacy continues even now through his family. All four of his children remain closely tied to gardening industry. Peter C. is a vice president at Campania International; Anthony Cilio is vice president of product development at Alfresco Home; Joseph Cilio is founder of Alfresco Home; and Nina Cilio Reelick is married to Eugene Reelick, owner of Hollandia Nurseries. He is also survived by seven grandchildren.
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