On November 27, 1957, on Viale Regina Giovanna in Milan, what Treccani describes as Italy’s first modern supermarket opened its doors. It had been converted from a former workshop and offered a new concept: customers could move freely among the shelves, choose items on their own, and find a variety of products all under one roof.
From mozzarella to shark fins
According to a report published by *Il Giorno* on opening day, there were about 1,600 items on the shelves: from Neapolitan mozzarella to shark fins, including swallow nests and kangaroo soup. An assortment that clearly showed just how different that shopping trip was from a visit to the neighborhood grocery store.
The “long S” that gave Esselunga its name
The store was simply called Supermarket and was owned by the company Supermarkets Italiani. In 1957, graphic designer Max Huber created an elongated “S” for the sign: customers began calling it “the supermarket with the long S,” and from that nickname came the name Esselunga.
