Operating One's Own Business, How Sweet It Is

Peter Russo toiled in a 30-year-career in information technology that ended with his being laid off, before finding his own sweet escape. Russo, who always wanted to start his own business, recently opened Edible Arrangements at 525 Main Street in Monroe.

"It gave me the opportunity," he said of losing his corporate job at Nestle Waters. "Sometimes you need that push."

Russo and his wife Deborah live in Danbury and have six grown children.

"He always wanted his own business and when we got our kids settled in college, we thought, 'It's now or never,'" Deborah said.

Deborah is an elementary School teacher in Mount Vernon, New York. She and the couple's daughter, Nina, 20, a student at West Conn, both work at the store part time.

Though it's been open for six weeks, on Thursday morning the Monroe Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting at Edible Arrangements for its official grand opening. First Selectman Steve Vavrek did the honors with an over-sized pair of scissors.

"It's a great asset to the community," Vavrek said. "This is a fun place. The employees look to be having fun. This is a national company and they decided that Monroe was the place to be."

The first selectman also likes the fact that the Russos are running the business together as a couple.

Lee Hossler, chairman of the Economic Development Commission (EDC), also attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.

"I think it's great to have them in town," Hossler said. "It's a great addition to our retail and the food's great. It's a must try."

Edible Arrangements, which started in Connecticut in 2000, is well-known for its fruit dipped in chocolate.

Those attending the ceremony got to visit the kitchen and sample some of the natural sweets, including oranges, bananas, granny smith apples and strawberries.

"I love the strawberries," said EDC Commissioner Susan Ownes. "But I've never had the banana before. That's really good."

The bananas were dipped in dark and white chocolate.

"I'm really excited," Ownes said of Edible Arrangements opening a location in town. "It's a well known company. I think it's a great addition to Monroe."

The franchise

Peter Russo said there are 940 stores in the U.S. and other stores overseas, adding Edible Arrangements had recently opened its 1,000 location.

When they decided to buy a store in the franchise, Deborah Russo said she and her husband were interested in Monroe for the location, which offers visibility on the heavily traveled Route 25, and the people.

"We're very happy to be here in Monroe," Deborah said. "The people are very friendly."

"We're both Danbury residents," Peter said. "We love the commute and are happy to be here."

Russo has 15 part-time employees at his store.

He said he loves the fact that online orders made on Edible Arrangements' national website automatically go to the store closest to the area. Individual stores can also send business each others' way when a customer fills out an order to be delivered in another town or state — getting a percentage of the sale.

Franchisees gets up to 50 percent of their business from online orders and referrals, Russo said, adding the rest is up to each store owner.

To that end, Russo is the first franchisee to test out the giving away of free samples and selling of smaller arrangements — boxes of six to a dozen pieces of fruit.

On Thanksgiving week, Russo said a lot of people who needed to pick up something small on the way to friends' and relatives' houses bought 12-piece boxes.

Edible Arrangements is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Deborah said the Monroe store has already been well received by townspeople.

"People often come in and say, 'Oh, we're so happy you're here,'" she said of Edible Arrangements. "Every time you mention it, it's always a positive response."