About The Alberico Family
The Alberico Family
Dick Alberico is a steady man with a huge heart. A jack of all trades - he’s the type that can fix anything and find his way to anywhere. He’s also the type that will inevitably find a way to add a seat to the table when an unexpected guest or friend shows up.
The Alberico family’s roots can be traced back to the small hillside town of San Vittorino, in the Italian region of Abruzzo. Stateside, their heritage runs through the small town of Joliet, Illinois - a blue-collar manufacturing town. (Ask any Alberico in San Vittorino if they have a relative in Joliet and the answer is probably yes).
It was in Joliet that Dick Alberico was born and raised. With a significant Italian community, one of Dick’s favorite childhood memories was when a truck driven by a man only known as “Pinto” would pull up and open up a side door - revealing giant wheels of Italian cheeses, hanging salami, and other savory goods from Italy.
As is the case with most Italian families, the dining table was the center of the home. Everyone went to the Alberico family home for lunch and dinner.
While he was still young, Dick fell in love with Geri Bush. Like any great vintage love story, Dick would see her driving in her parent’s convertible in a big hat and think to himself “I’m going to marry that girl.” Dick married his wife Geri at the age of 19.
Dick’s wanderlust led him to fall in love with the west - there was just something about the land, the mountains, western films, and of course, John Denver.
The Albericos spent several summers driving out to Colorado for summer vacations. Finally, the pull of the Rockies was too much to ignore, and the Alberico moved out to Colorado from Joliet in 1975.
Every single Sunday, Dick and his family would pile into their van and drive into the mountains. They didn’t ski, they just loved being up there, exploring a new mountain each weekend.
A sign painter by trade, Dick would impeccably freehand logos and advertisements for local and national companies. His art can be found anywhere from hand-painted semi-trucks to the signage of Frasca Hospitality Group’s flagship restaurant, Frasca Food and Wine.
In 2000, Geri passed away - the same year that Dick’s daughter, Danette, married Bobby Stuckey. Shortly after, Danette and Bobby returned to Colorado to be near Dick, and began dreaming up Frasca Food and Wine.
Pizzeria Alberico is a continuation and celebration of the family’s story.