December
Welcome to Meribella (An interview with Owner Riccardo)
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Working through the years has made me think about life and what I want to do.
I knew I had a love of fine arts and graphics. I first started out graduating from the Digital Media program at Southeast Tech back in 2011. From there I went and worked at different places, not doing what I went to school for. I eventually realized I wanted to return to school and study Graphic Design, which landed me back at Southeast Tech.
My love for fine arts hasn’t left yet. I still like to watch theatre productions around the area. Going back to when I was younger, I grew to love the theatre and follow it through to adulthood. Working with theatre, I learned about my creative side; working on sets and developing a character, you had to envision what would act and look like.
When I finished high school, I had to figure out what I wanted to do. I wanted to go to school for HVAC, but after a week of classes, I discov ered that wasn’t what I wanted to do. I took a year off and worked in the
workforce. I knew I had a love of art, and I wanted to study art in a way I could do as a job. I looked at different schools and different programs that were art-related. That is where I found the Digital Media Production program at Southeast Tech.
I studied the art of video and learned a lot. We learned about putting art into motion. I eventually graduated from that program in 2011. I looked and looked for different jobs that were related to that field that I could do. I applied for a couple of jobs but wasn’t successful at getting a hit.
A few years passed, and I worked for companies that had nothing to do with my studies. I worked for a psych hospital as an aide in my hometown and the general hospital.
I eventually figured out why not go back to school for graphic design. I could put both my degrees together and hopefully find something and
Always having a bowl of popcorn and some good candy.
Setting the mood for a good movie with some nice candle light.
Grab your favorite movie to pop in to watch.
Always having a nice pair of sweatpants so your comfortable.
What is a movie night without a blanket to keep you warm and cozy with a special someone.
Keeping your feet nice and warm is alway a nice idea.
In the 8th and Railroad building in Downtown Sioux Falls, you will find multiple businesses but walk in the door and up the stairs there is a special business called Insight. Insight is a full-service marketing and digital advertising agency. We offer extensive experience in producing effective creative messaging in all formats, allowing companies of all sizes to realize remarkable returns on their marketing investment. There, you will see Jill Smith working on her computer, creating websites for businesses. When sitting down with Jill to learn about her, the industry, and where she gets her inspiration from, one can learn a great deal from the seasoned designer.
Words and Photos by: Christopher Pieperr
Ever since she started as an editor for her high school for the yearbook, Jill has grown a love for graphic design. She dealt with a lot of writing and combining information from different places, photography, and learned about different layouts.
The deciding factor for her when she chose to work at Insight was that she always respected their work. Jill has been with them for fourteen years and having been an owner for four of those, she feels like it’s not a stressful place to work.
When asked what she wished she had done differently when she first started with the company. She stated, “I wish I were more vocal about my skill set; I was hired as a web developer. I was the only developer on staff, so I did very little design work.”
Some projects she is currently working on for the company. She is working on websites, and she overlooks and reviews the work. She has led the department over the years. The work is never really done. “There are always things to tweak. It is knowing when to stop and move on to the next thing.”
“A typical day is fragmented. It changes. It’s the nature of the business,” Jill stated when asked what her typical day looks like. A typical day for her is troubleshooting websites and updating and maintaining them. Her favorite part is the troubleshooting. She said she likes the challenge and when new projects come in.
Jill looking over some projects at the light table.
I asked her what the process was for handing off a project to someone to work on. She listed the process; it starts with the team pulling the work up on a screen and speaking together. Then, after they talk, they go back and make changes. Then, when the website is done with the design work, it gets handed to the programmer. They sit with a programmer to show the notes they came up with. When the programmer is done, it gets passed to the client, or they send things to the vendor and send the files to the web team to upload to the website. She stated that the final product usually doesn’t go to the client.
“There are always things to tweak. It is knowing when to stop and move on to the next thing.”
“A typical day is fragmented. It changes. It’s the nature of the business.”
When I asked Jill where she gets her inspiration for her designs, she stated, “I get them from Pinterest and on-line work galleries winners list.” She brainstorms when she is away from her desk; it separates her thoughts. She has to commute to work, which helps her with her ideas and inspiration.
When wrapping up with Jill, When asked if she wanted to say anything, she stated, “We are commercial artists, not fine artists. Fine art is creating art for enjoyment, whereas commercial art is created for a purpose; it must be functional and get the point across. Don’t be offended when changes come.”
Jill has some excellent thoughts that every designer should look at when working. She gave insight into the business and what the process looks like inside Insight.
“We are Commercial artists, not Fine artists.”
Since childhood, Christopher Pieper has been involved with the arts, from theatre to singing. Working with graphics and computers is what he likes, so he decided why not add the two together. He likes to learn different aspects of the graphics field, being able to bring his ideas to the screen.
Riccardo Tarabelsi is a man who was originally born in Florence, Italy, but grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. His wife, Marybeth, is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. When the two met in Martha’s Vineyard, they decided to move back to Sioux Falls in 1999. They both grew a love of the restaurant and wine industry, so they decided to open a restaurant and wine business. “We love hospitality. It’s more than just owning a restaurant; it’s connecting with people.”
They started with the R Wine Bar, comfortably located in a developing part of downtown Sioux Falls across from 8th and Railroad. The ‘R’ stands for Riccardo. Since then, the couple has expanded their footprint into the restaurant business. Let’s take a look at his life and where he got his start.
Tarabelsi
Originally opening R Wine Bar in 2018, Riccardo and his wife have had a growing business. “I wanted to bring a taste of Italy to Sioux Falls.” He said, bringing in his own culture.
They have since opened Vespa Catering in 2021, Brix Wine Bar in 2022, and recently, Maribella Ristorante. Maribella means “beautiful Mary.” It is an upscale northern Italian restaurant in Downtown Sioux Falls. It has an elegant setting with a warm and inviting décor. The restaurant is named after his wife, and the logo is written in her handwriting.
Keeping with his Italian culture. Riccardo wanted to bring some of his culture to the menu. With the Italian culture, they have some signature dishes. Their popular dishes are Bolognese (Pappardelle tossed with bolognese sauce, topped with shaved parmesan and garlic whipped ricotta) and Beretta (Sopressata, spicy salami, smoked sausage, mozzarella, and pomodoro sauce). Growing up with his mom and grandma, they were always cooking something. “All my friends would come over because we always cooked something good.” This is where he got his concept for the restaurant.
When asked about his challenges, he stated he had a lot of challenges due to the pandemic. Financing was
his biggest challenge. His other challenge was how they were going to staff Maribella. They already had one restaurant. They start the new employees at R Wine Bar, and then they eventually will bring them over. Riccardo said, “Salaries and hours have become a challenge; I could have hired a line cook for $12 an hour, now it’s $18 to $20. They have become busy lately and full every night. They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Balance work and life has also been a challenge. With the company being family-owned, they see each other every day. “It’s hard not to talk about work at home.”
at the airport with a poster and on-screen at baggage claim. They also advertise in one magazine a month and have an email list. They also promote a monthly wine club. The wine club includes two bottles a month and is hand-picked by Riccardo.
A piece of advice for future business owner Riccardo says, “Believe in yourself. Little things and big things will happen.” He also had some moments to be proud of. He was recognized for the best wine and business of the year.
Riccardo is a man of many talents. You can usually catch him at one of the restaurants. Keep an eye out for him and see what his next business will include.
Regarding advertising for the restaurants, they advertise
Top L to Bottom:
The logo of the restaurant, workers in the open concept kitchen, and a painting of Florence, Italy
