Helen’s flight from the Wiggles

Helen Pentatis’s journey from being a discontented stay-at-home mum some years ago has ended up in a gorgeous new shop under the ANZ Centre in Victoria Harbour.

Helen and her friend and business partner Jenny Kontoudis opened Fruit for You and Flowers Too in late November.

Discerning Docklanders have already discovered a rich and inspired range of special gift ideas and gourmet foods as well as the shop’s staples of corporate fruit hampers and floral arrangements.

The business is nearly 10 years old and was born out of the despair that the energetic Helen felt when she started her family.

“Two years of the Wiggles was doing my head in,” she laughed.  “I needed a hobby and found something that took full advantage of my husband’s position as a supplier of fine fruit and vegetables to Melbourne’s most renowned restaurants.”

“It was an extension of what we already did and it took off because there was nowhere where you could get a good hamper,” Helen said. “It was a great opportunity to express my passion for life as well as apply the sales and marketing skills I had learned in the corporate world.”

The business is underpinned by a rigid adherence to the finest quality and strict attention to detail.

“We never compromise our quality or integrity.  Our brand connects with people who expect and demand the highest standards.”

In 2003 Helen added flowers to her offering and began steering and navigating her way into supplying the
corporate world.

As a preferred supplier to ANZ, she was last year invited to relocate her business from Hawthorn to Docklands.

“We’ve embraced the opportunity and we see a big future being down here in Docklands,” she said.

“We love the integration of the corporate with the residential and we’re giving it all we’ve got.”

Fruit for You and Flowers Too can be found at Shop 11P,  833 Collins St and can be reached on 1300 669 421.

Medici takes over The Lounge

The father and daughter team that runs NewQuay restaurant and Docklands institution, Medici, has taken over the management of The Lounge Hotel and will soon own the venue.

Medici owner and long-time entrepreneur, Lee Moussi, took control of the venue with his daughter on December 1 and the duo will become joint-owners on March 1.

Lee says his daughter Monique, who has managed Medici for the past seven years, pushed him to buy the hotel after the current owner approached him for a second time.

“I’ll help her out, but she’s running both The Lounge Hotel and Medici,” Mr Moussi said.

Since taking over the management of the hotel Mr Moussi says they’re already implementing improvements in food, service and stock, but says there’s still a lot to be done.

Mr Moussi believes Docklands is one of the best places to own a restaurant.   “I’m not moving from here. It’s the best promenade in Australia,” he said.

The restaurateur says it’s always busy in Docklands and credits his success to the local community.

“I’d like to thank all the community, like Michele Anderson and Paul O’Halloran for giving me great support,” he said.

Virtual hardware will deliver

HardwareFast is an ambitious new online hardware store based in Melbourne.

It can be hard to find time to get to a decent hardware store when living in Docklands so often those little jobs will take a long time to get done.

The business aims to make lives easier by offering a comprehensive range of more than 6000 hardware and home improvement products at competitive prices.

HardwareFast delivers to Docklands and says customers can generally expect next business day delivery.

“Our genuinely huge variety of products includes general hardware, hand tools, power tools, garden and lawn products, painting, plumbing, electrical, housewares and much more,” a spokesperson said.

“Whether you want to hang a painting, change a tap washer or buy a power drill, do it from your desktop. We’re always open.”

Visit http://www.hardwarefast.com.au