Small bike shops figured out they could become big bike shops by becoming the importer and sole US distributor for a small or overlooked Italian frame shop, and putting ads in the back pages of the bike rags (readers hungry for more always read those ads).
It was the bike boom equivalent of internet sales.
Moser has been imported since the 80s through Lancaster, PA, and Viner has been imported since the 80s through NOLA.
The formula was begun in the 20s by Oscar Wastyn (Chicago) and Hans Ohrt (Hollywood)