Feet on the Street

by Teresa Royer
Member Relations Specialist

I’m always curious of how people come upon starting they’re own business i.e. what series of events took place to make them take the “plunge.”

One I find especially interesting is Pedro Yaruchyk’s story. Pedro is the Owner of the Edible Arrangements franchise here in Fort Wayne. When Pedro came into the Chamber to sign up for membership, I learned that in addition to opening the Edible Arrangements franchise he also works at the Fort Wayne Police Department in their Records-Bureau of Identification Division where he processes finger prints, enters missing people/runaways, stolen guns, stolen vehicles, etc.

I said to Pedro: “So Pedro, I have to ask---Police Department / Decorative Fruit, I fail to see the connection. What made you decide to buy such a franchise?”

He told me he learned of the business while sitting in an airplane waiting for take off. To pass the time he leafed through a magazine placed in the seat-back in front of him and he saw an Edible Arrangements ad. He ordered an arrangement for his mother’s birthday. When the arrangement arrived at Mom’s house, he was very impressed with it, liked the concept and wanted to learn more. He did the research and decided to take the “plunge.”

Pedro just completed his third week open for business and would you believe after his second week his store placed number 3 in sales out of the 7 stores in Indiana!

The Chamber joined Pedro in celebrating his grand opening with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, October 2.

Congratulations to Pedro for following your dreams. Stop by and say hello and check out his Edible Arrangements store at 5129 Illinois Road, Suite 126, across from the Subaru/Acura dealership. Is your mom’s birthday coming up?