20 Questions with Bruno Duarte

Bruno Duarte - Owner and Creative Director for Fresh

1. What is your name and position?  Bruno Duarte Owner and creative director
2. What was your first job? Sweeping the floor at a flowershop and processing flowers
3. What were you doing before you opened your business? Working in a flowershop
4. How long has your business been operating in the Danforth area? 4 Years
5. Why did you open your business? Because I got frustrated trying to do the large wow arrangements for other businesses and not able to really do it the way I wanted due to budget restraints and time
6. Why did you pick the Danforth area?  Great neighbourhood and still very accessible to downtown business
7. As a child, what did you think you'd be doing right now? As a child I love flowers and never really thought of what I would be doing now but it all fell into place.
8. Most interesting thing you've ever witnessed in the Danforth area? Taste of the danforth
9. Other than your own business, what is your next favourite business in the Danforth area?  Dough bakery is one of my next favorite businesses but there are so many like Globe Bistro, Energia, Modern Optical and Envelope
10. What has changed about your business since you opened?  The store decor changes all the time expecially our window display.  Every week we change it.  Business wise we have been getting more foot traffic coming in to check out our displays and purchase flowers
11. What do you enjoy most about your business?  The creative aspect and building relationships with our customers.
12. Do you play music during business hours? Yes we have a variety of different music.
13. What are you currently reading? I read allot of floral magazines from europe
14. Who is the most inspiring person to you, living or dead? Most inspiring person in my profession would be Daniel Ost.  He is a belgium designer Genius.
15. Who are your heroes of fiction/non-fiction? I don’t really have heroes
16. Do you live in the neighbourhood?  No not at the present time but would like to in the future
17. Do you Facebook, Twitter or blog?  Yes I only facebook at the moment
18. If you were granted one wish, what would you wish for?  I would wish for more wishes. No that’s not allowed. I would wish for good health and love.
19. What do you like to do when you're not at work? I enjoy being active and relaxing with friends
20. Any exciting news or events happening at your business?  We will be particitating in Canada Blooms this year and will be featured in Garden Design magazine in October