Celebrities stop by Barrows

Cardi brothers bring their story to students

AS SEEN ON TV: Nick, Ron and Pete Cardi visited Chester Barrows Elementary School during the school's celebration of Reading Week. They read their book, Come In We're Open: a NIROPE story to the students and talked about their family history, their jobs within the company, and the hard work and teamwork which has always made it all possible.

(Herald photo by Jen Cowart)

The Cranston Herald · Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:24 pm

By Jen Cowart

Students at Chester Barrows Elementary School had a treat for Reading Week, with Nick, Ron and Pete Cardi, better known as NIROPE, visiting to talk about their career, their family business, giving back, and what it's like to be NIROPE. The Cardi brothers read aloud Come In We're Open: A NIROPE story written by Michelle Roy Kelly with contributions from Larisa Vlasov and illustrations by Kurt Dolber.

The story chronicled the brothers' lives, starting with the immigration of their grandparents to America from Itri, Italy. The family settled in the Knightsville section of Cranston and started the family business in 1928, which the brothers described as a general store, similar to Durfee's Hardware Store.

"Those days our toys were furniture boxes," said Pete Cardi. "We worked together as a team, it was hard work but our family sticks together and we get so much more done when we work as a team."

The book introduced the story behind how the brothers got the moniker, NIROPE, and the brothers elaborated on the story.

"We had a ten-foot rowboat and it was my parents' subtle way of telling us we had to work together in order to get anywhere in life," said Ron. "The boat needed a name and my aunt suggested that we take the first two letters of each of our names and call it Ni-Ro-Pe, like the rope that ties the boat." The family agreed that the name was perfect, it stuck, and remains in use today to describe the three men and to represent their furniture and mattress business. The brothers sit in NIROPE order in their offices and often do things lined up in the same order, just as their beds were, growing up.

With a business which has now grown to 20 stores total, the brothers keep busy, but shared with the students that they are never too busy to give back to others.

"In 2006 we were recognized at the White House by President Bush for our work with the military," said Pete. "We were honored with 15 other companies from around the country."

At the conclusion of their event the Cardi brothers gave copies of the book they had just read to every student in the classroom.