Master of Madeira: New owners hope to lock in legacy for Romualdo, their favorite tailor

Romualdo Pelle deftly separates seams from shoulders on a well-worn jacket that will consume half his workday. He’ll turn 83 in December, but he’s in no hurry to leave this little shop in Madeira where he became a favored tailor for Cincinnati’s rich and famous. “I can’t retire,” he said. “It’s inside me.” Those words are like nectar to the new owners. Tim Brock and Chris Berre fell in love with men’s fashion because of Romualdo. Both were customers who became part-time employees then abandoned other career options to help Pelle’s creation grow.