north shore news Wednesday, May 12, 1999 - North Shore News — 17 C'EST magnifique! French baker Fereshteh Aflatooni at Le Pic Nic Breads and Pastry (left); Save Food Mart's Chung-Yi Chang has flower power (top centre); import- ed olive oil is but one of many items Sam Garmen stocks at Mitra's Bulk Food and Deli (bottom centre); and Ambleside Cleaners’ Greg Heroupian will celebrate nine ‘years in business at the end of May. All four are neighbours on the north side of the 1400-block of Clyde Avenue in West Vancouver. Kitchen ci LET them eat cake. Why not, says Le Pic Nic French Breads and Pastry proprietor Fereshtch Aflatooni. Aflatooni has an array of French pastries, breads and various other baked goods. But it’s the cakes that make her proud. Aflatooni, an Iranian trained in the art of French baking in Paris, has an album full of wedding photos. The brides and grooms aren't the focal point of the snapshots. Instead, it’s her creations. “It takes ewo days at least in preparation,” Aflatooni says. “Some take a month to make them, let them dry and be able to assemble the cake. Everybody loves fresh flowers on the cake.” Wedding cakes, admits, aren’t cheap. They generally start at $250, One memorable cake was a towering seven-tier job that was transported to the Pan Pacific hotel in she I's a fact in today’s world — more and more women are taking charge of their Gnances. Are you ready to join their ranks? Iso, we're offering educational workshops you won't want to miss! Small class size, informal atmosphere. relaxed and entertaining! Complimentary snacks and refreshments served ... we're here to make investing fun! Edwardjones Serving Individuai Investore Member CIPF www edwardjones.com Vancouver. “Mostly my job is just like an artist,” she says, pointing to her blank slate — the kitchen counter. In bloom What makes work so enjoyable for Save Food Mart owner Chung-Yi Chang? The cus- tomers and the flowers, she says. Among the myriad of items at the indepen- dent conve- nience store are the usual staples: bread, milk, soft drinks, magazines, snac: food and lottery tickets. But there’s a portable gar- den of sorts with dozens of varieties of fresh flowers, all of them tor sale. “I enjoy the flowers, and customers who come by for a conversation,” Chang says. “My favourite tlower is the lily. Everybody likes different ‘Tuesday, May 18 ‘or Thursday, May 27 6:30-9:30 pm JENNIFER ANGSARI Cia Fee $20 | 7:00-9:00 pm things.” Chang is originally from Seoul where she had a plastic parts manufacturing compa- ny. “It’s a big change,” she says. “This is all myself.” . Sun Ie eaed to believe Siamak (Sam) Garman could squeeze so many types of foods from so many nations into one store. But he did it. - The two-year old Mitra’s Bulk Food ‘ and Deli (named for the Persian sun god- dess) carries packaged goods from all over the Mediterranean, Middie East and Europe. Labels that say made in Turkey, Hungary and Germany are all over the store. Mitra’s is even branching out into South African prod- ucts, “['m trying to make it unique, international from all I Tuesdays, May 18 & 25 or Wednesdays, May 19 & 26 Fee $20 PHILIP KUZYK Place: 202-1525 Robeen St., Van | Place: #112-223 Hoantaia Heny,, NY Please call 683-3189 to reserve a sost 23 space Is Kxited Please call 980-7433 ‘Ss reserve a seat as space fe limited parts of the world,” Garman says. “We offer good quality and good prices. You have to go to Commercial Drive to get it cheaper.” Among the fresh items are cheeses, spices, nuts, seeds and various organic fruit and vegetables. “We also rent Persian movies,” Garman says. “Just name it, we've got i.” Clean and dry There isn’t a finer country in the world, says Ambleside Cleaners owner = Greg Horoupian. And there isn’t a finer place to be a dey cleaner than West Vancouver. Egypt-born of Armenian ancestry, Hcroupian will cele- brate nine years in business at the end of May. “I can sav I have tripled the volume over the past nine years through very careful and dedicated service to my loyal customers,” Horoupian says. “I feel they appreciate my ser- vice because they keep com- ing back and recommending to their friends. Word of mouth is very important, that’s the way I built the busi- ness. “Pre been in’ Vancouver over 20 years, I] came by choice to Canada and this is the best country in the world. With all its shortcomings, it’s still the best.” Others on the block: Ambleside Animal Hospital, Stephenson’s Rental Centre, Daihatsu Japanese Restaurant, Sussex Insurance Ambleside, lunier is cake artist's palette Hair Boutique, Lonsdale Draperies and Interiors, | Esquire Dry Cleaners, Grapes 4U and Jody's. Omega’s Commercial Avenues is a bi-monthly feature of the North Shore News business see- tion. While it is by no means a comprebensive quide to any of the areas it focuses on, it seeks to capture a snapshot of the day- to-day life of businesses selected at random that call the street home. If you have a business that is part of a unique or oth- erwise worthwhile block or know of any, share it with us. Write to Commercial Avenues, c/o Bob Mackin at the North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave. North Vancouver V7M 2H4 or e-mail . Spring Savings - Order now and save $$$$ on genuine California Shutters! Quality real wood shutters don’t warp or fade - guaranteed!