By PAM WITMER
The name and ownership has changed, but this high-end

contemporary Italian furniture store still has the same imported interior design lines.

What was Minimalista two weeks ago is now Casa Italia at the International Design Center in Estero.

Ozzie Pancaro is owner of the newly named store on the first floor of the center. He was manager of the business when it was one of three stores owned by the Fort Lauderdale-based company.

“I was in the right place at the right time to take advantage of the situation to be able to buy the store,” he said.

The store continues to carry 20 lines of furniture imported from Italy. The contemporary pieces are sleek and stylized designs, in black and white and muted grays and browns.

Pancaro said he plans to make some changes to the display of furniture in the 10,000-square feet of store space.

Currently, all the walls are stark white and the flooring is concrete.

“I’ll be creating little vignettes, warming the space up in some settings,” he said.

Meanwhile, it’s business as usual. “Nothing really has changed but the name,” he said.