I had not heard "glocal" before. I was sure it was another Italian invention in English— something like the monstrous "beauty farm." (But we have an agreement: I don't gripe about that one and they let me enjoy my "frappuccino" and use "cannoli" as a singular. Yet, alas, this blend of "global" and "local" has been around for a few years in economic jargon to refer to authentic, traditional products (local) that are made to be distributed on a worldwide scale (global). Thus, we now have "glocalization."

The town of Marcianise, near Naples, will soon be the site of a "glocal village"—a three- story eccentrically pentagonal building with 300 (!) merchants displaying wares that are characteristic of the Campania region of Italy, largely (but not only) in the field of fashion and jewelry design. The published statistics on the project (which will open this summer) say things such as "60,000 square meters for productive and distributive activities." (You might as well explain that to me in cubits or furlongs). Imagine a square with each side as long as a football field. Take six of those—that's how much space will be taken up only by shops, spread over the three floors. That is not counting the large central piazza, the portico-type promenades, administrative office space, banks, restaurants, an internal television studio, restaurants, or the fourth level, underground, with facilities such as conference rooms.

The Polo della Qualità is the brain-child of Guglielmo Aprile, local businessman and a second-generation goldsmith. Five years ago, he envisioned a center that would give not only such famous Neapolitan names in fashion as Marinella or Rubinacci and jewelers such as Chantecler a forum, but would provide hundreds of lesser known artisans in Campania a chance to display their wares to an international audience—a place where wholesalers from around the world could come and see what the five Campanian provinces of Naples, Salerno, Benevento, Avellino and Caserta have to offer. From their own advertising thus far, I'd have drawn the erroneous conclusion that this is going to one big fashion center. But,"we don't just want to do business," says Aprile. "We want to present authentic products and authentic culture of Campania." This accounts for the concerts and theater by local performers and for the publication of a glossy magazine with articles in Italian and English about local persons and places. The Polo also intends to be involved with the community, providing hands-on experience for students of business and design from nearby universities.

Ground was broken on the Polo della Qualità in 2003 and the project is almost finished! In a place that measures construction in a unit of time called the "Cheops"—the time it takes to build one Great Pyramid—this shows you how serious they are about this. The project has been built with entirely private investment. The building, itself, if I may beat a dead horse, is not simply a shopping center. The pentagon radiates out from a central piazza in an anachronistic—and charming—tribute to the Middle Ages, when you wandered in any direction from the main square and came across shops of all kinds. (There is even ample use of local wood and stone amongst all the metal and glass.) I—a sartorial bumpkin, if ever there was one—am going to take in a fashion show in the main square just to see models parade on the long runway that, I am assured, will give the impression that they are walking on water! And though I sport no precious metals dangling or protruding from any part of my pristine body, I will, indeed, park myself in front of a display window (there are 700 to choose from) and watch someone actually make gold jewelry. Yes, I'll read their magazine, and, since retail shoppers are also welcome, I'll walk out of there with one tie made by Marinella, which I promise to wear maybe once.

The Polo della Qualità is unique in Italy and, so I am told, rare in the world; that is, a central location that produces and displays local wares for a world market. It is such a good idea that the administration of the project is already getting calls from like-minded entrepreneurs in places such as Sicily and elsewhere who want to know how they can do the same thing.