Founder

With over 20 years in the hospitality industry, Anna’s attention to detail, deep understanding of different markets and communities, and evolving network of hospitality veterans and culinary leaders, has helped position Local Culture as the go-to agency for transforming underutilized spaces.

Even before founding Local Culture, Anna had deep roots in New York City’s food scene. Over two decades ago, Castellani saw a need within Brooklyn for a community gathering space and opened The Dumbo General Store— selling everything from food to art supplies. There she built strong vendor relationships and continued to identify needs within the New York market. Five years later Castalleni would open Foragers Market to address the lack of high-quality natural food offerings. Her vision for a local quality-forward grocery store that highlighted local upstate farmers quickly grew into a vast network of small businesses and farms championing healthy eating through high-quality produce.

Recognized for her continued entrepreneurial spirit, deep knowledge of downtown Brooklyn, and network within the culinary industry, Anna was approached by Washington Square Partners to oversee design, construction, licensing, and vendor curation for what is now known as DeKalb Market Hall. The success of DeKalb MarketHall led to the emergence of Local Culture and opportunities to consult on, build, and operate various food halls.

Chief Operating Officer

Gary’s understanding of numbers and systems provides organization and accountability in a chaotic industry. His expertise can be traced back to 17 years on Wall Street. Before joining Local Culture Management, Gary was the Managing Director of Rosenblatt Securities, the institutional brokerage firm with the largest New York Stock Exchange floor presence. During his tenure at Rosenblatt Securities, Gary created and built out the firm’s institutional Derivatives desk building a team under him and developing a track record of consistently performing under pressure.

Wishnow joined Local Culture in 2016 to build and scale Dekalb Market Hall. His prior expertise in overseeing financial projects, reporting, and controls allowed for a seamless transition into his new role as Chief Operating Officer. Gary oversaw DeKalb Market Hall’s entire construction, leasing strategy, and entire management of its daily operations.

From conception to the internationally-known culinary destination it is known as today, Wishnow has been integral in Dekalb Market Hall’s success. His time is now spent curating various budgeting and leasing strategies, managing relationships with Local Culture’s development partners, and overseeing operations for Dekalb MarketHall and The Hugh.