Owner has created an “atmosphere”
Aug 24, 2008 - 04:30 AM
By Melissa Mancini
OSHAWA -- Downtown Oshawa wasn’t his first choice for a new business, said Giacomo Bruno.
But Mr. Bruno has a different attitude now about the area where his business, Isabella’s Chocolate Cafe, is as he celebrates his second anniversary.
“It wasn’t my first choice, but when I did decide on it, it was definitely the right choice,” he said.
Downtown is an up and coming area with a lot of new and young businesses and a great place to get started, he said.
“I truly believe this is the heart of the city,” he said. “You’ll find things here you won’t find anywhere else.”
It hasn’t always been good times, said Mr. Bruno. There were many days when he first opened that he found himself spending a lot of time sitting down reading the paper.
But he thinks his willingness to diversify has helped bring new faces through the door and kept people coming back.
Some nights it’s jazz music on the stage. Once a month young musicians come in to showcase their talents. He’s hosted yoga classes. There is art displayed on the walls from local painters. He has already renovated in the two years the cafe has been open.
David Tuley, downtown development officer for the City of Oshawa, said Mr. Bruno has been “the poster child of the new downtown.”
“He’s not just selling products there, he’s created an atmosphere,” Mr. Tuley said. “If there was a place for counter-culture in downtown Oshawa this is it.”
Downtown is expanding rapidly with new businesses coming into the area weekly, Mr. Tuley said.
“There are so many new businesses coming in each week that we hardly have time to attract them,” he said, pointing out a new massage therapy office and a spa, businesses that opened recently.
Despite the growth in the core he said there are still some vacancies downtown that “blow his mind” including the space beside Isabella’s and a spot on King Street near many popular businesses he said is “the best spot in the whole downtown and surprisingly vacant.”
The key for his department is to re-educate people about what downtown Oshawa is like so more businesses like Isabella’s can flourish.
“People don’t realize how much the downtown has changed,” he said.
Mr. Bruno attributes some of his success to his willingness to put the business out there, which he said is crucial to getting people to come and see what downtown is really all about. He said new businesses often have to over-promote and give away a lot of freebees to haul in customers.
And the quality products help, he said. Isabella’s offers many things which aren’t readily available all over the region, like organic teas, fair-trade coffee and gelato.
“If I had a little airplane I would attach a banner on the back that says ‘Come downtown’,” he said.
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