Joe Faro
Owner of Tuscan Brands
Culinary entrepreneur, real estate developer and philanthropist Joe Faro is transforming the former Rockingham Park racetrack, a 170-acre parcel, into a mixed-use regional destination—essentially creating a downtown for Salem. Faro’s latest venture started with Tuscan Kitchen, an Italian restaurant in Salem that now has several locations. Faro previously founded and grew Joseph’s Gourmet Pasta and Sauces into a multimillion-dollar business before selling it to Nestle Prepared Foods.
His second business empire includes two Tuscan Markets, Toscana Italian Chophouse & Wine Bar, Tuscan Sea Grill, and the Artisan Chef Catering Company.
When the racetrack parcel became available in 2016, Faro expanded his vision to create a four million-square-foot walkable hub with 45 stores and an additional 50 to come. “The pandemic shaped our vision for brick-and-mortar retail to transition into more of an experience-based retail platform, whether it is learning how to make pasta or a wine class or outdoor entertainment in our beer garden or learning how to fly fish on Tuscan Lake,” Faro says.
As more people choose to work remotely, he scaled back on office space and created more residences. Faro expects to have at least 1,800 residential units when all phases
are complete.
Faro is currently in the process of opening the central district of the Tuscan Village with a 165-room boutique hotel, a rooftop lounge, a cafe and an event center. “This village project has really given us the platform to bring the community together.”
Current Issue - May 2024