Robert and Alison Angelaccio own Annabella’s in Bristol Borough, a fine Italian restaurant in the heart of the community. Named after Chef Robert’s mother, they serve exceptional Italian cuisine, including their signature Vodka Rigatoni.

A long-time chef, Robert runs the kitchen and loves meeting with his customers. A transplant from Colorado, he has called Bristol Borough home for many years, even meeting Alison when she was a customer. Together, they pour their hearts and souls into this quaint eatery and are featured in year two of the Small Business Revolution.

• annabellarestaurant.com

Q&A

1. What does living and working in Bristol Borough mean to you?
   It means being part of a close-knit community of people, many of whom you have known all your life. As small business owners, we consciously support other Bristol Borough businesses to “keep it local.” Bristol Borough has so much to offer and our hope is that once Season 2 airs, more people will come to see what it’s all about.
   
   
2. How did you feel when Bristol Borough won Small Business Revolution?
   Seeing Amanda come onto the Bristol Riverside Theatre stage was so intensely emotional. It was the first of many “big reveals.” We’ve never seen the town so motivated to one cause and working so hard to reach out to friends and family across the world to vote every day. The nervous energy and unceasing positive attitude that we could win was incredible. The goodwill that the voting week created was wonderful! When Bristol Borough won, it was affirmation that the town was on the rise and people noticed the potential in us.
   
   
3. What was one big struggle you were facing before Amanda and Robert came to Bristol Borough?
   We did not have a marketing plan, and connected to that, our website was outdated. We didn’t have the expertise to know how to attract new customers and continue to engage returning customers.
   
   
4. What was your favorite part of the Small Business Revolution experience?
   Working with the Deluxe team and film crew. All of them working so hard on our behalf with their positive encouragement made us believe we could implement all the suggestions and create change for our business. Our favorite part was absolutely the new relationships that have changed our lives for the better. We also loved getting to know and support the other five businesses chosen.
   
   
5. What was the hardest part of the Small Business Revolution experience for you?
   The schedule was, at times, intense. Organizing where to be, when and with who (filming, photos, social media, other meetings) was tricky, especially at the end. We just had to remind ourselves that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and to take a breath and hang on for the ride!
   
   
6. What have you learned about yourself in this process? What have you learned about your business?
   We’ve learned that we have a pretty special partnership and that translates to our business. And that no matter how long we’ve been in business, there are always things to learn and ways to improve and grow.
   
   
7. What is the one thing you hope viewers take away from this season in Bristol Borough?
   Bristolians are a great group of people, come visit us!
   
   
8. One word you would use to describe your experience?
   Overwhelming.
   
   
9. Would you do this again?
   Absolutely!
   
   
10. What services provided by Deluxe did you find to be the most helpful to you and your business?
    Having a new website and getting marketing expertise from everyone was most helpful. We have learned so many marketing tools and strategies that we are implementing and are already generating more revenue.
    
    
11. What was one piece of advice Robert or Amanda gave that will stick with you well beyond SBR?
    Their advice to always have a goal will stick with us. While we could articulate our goal from the beginning, keeping it at the forefront of our marketing is key.
    
    
12. What would you say to other small businesses or people in small towns thinking of nominating their town?
    Do it! It’s a transformational experience. We will never be the same from having participated. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Annabella’s.
    
    

See all the characters from Season 2