Edible Arrangements Opens 1,000th Store in Garden City

Nine years ago, Deb and Ted Kostisin opened their first and just the 15th Edible Arrangements store in the Northeast— long before the brand became a household name.

To get the word out about their unique fruit bouquets, the couple and business partners sometimes went out on a limb, such as taking the longer route when delivering to a hospital in the hopes of increasing exposure.

Yesterday, they cut the ribbon to their fourth franchise here in and they are amazed by how much the company has grown. It happens that the store is also the company's 1000th.

The success hit home on a recent delivery when two boys answered the door.

"Before I had a chance to say anything, they turned around, ran back up the stairs yelling to their mother that ‘Edible Arrangements is here.’" said Ted Kostisin. "To go from where we would walk around a hospital or office when making deliveries to get noticed, to having a five-year-old recognize the brand on sight says a lot about how far we’ve come."

Last year, the couple was named Edible Arrangement's Franchisee of the Year. They now find themselves launching a store that represents a major milestone for the company, which started in 1999 in East Haven, Conn. by brothers Tariq and Kamran Farid.

"We have some of the most amazing franchisees and Deb is way up there," Tariq Farid said, recalling when he first met her at a diner and tried to convince her to buy a franchise.

"To think she now has four stores and we're at 1,000 is truly a blessing," Farid said. "We couldn't do it without you."

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung welcomed the business to the city and wished everyone luck with the venture. He gave the Kostisins a citation from the city that wished them continued success.

Notable about the new store is that it will feature the latest evolution of the company's Edible To Go concept, which features snacks and treats like chocolate-dipped strawberries and fruit smoothies.

It's the kind of place we never dreamed of when we opened our first franchise,” Ted said of the new location at the popular outdoor shopping center. “We now have a concept that is designed for a location like this. People can walk in, place or pick up their Edible Arrangements order, grab a snack and leave. It’s so convenient.”

The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. You can reach the store at 401-946-6111.