Ari Driver opened Perfume Paradise in November of 2001. The location chosen on Vaughan Street was in poor repair and with limited finances it was necessary for Ari to do a lot of the contracting type of work herself. Filling holes, carpentry, and painting was just the beginning. It seemed like every step of the way Ari was cautioned not to put too much more effort into the project because she may not be successful.
The business opened and was received well from the beginning.
A year and a week after opening the store a fire destroyed the business. Shortly before the fire Ari had moved to be closer to her business and had chosen to store most of her personal belongings temporarily in the basement. Everything was lost. The business had to be rebuilt quickly to capture even a little of the Christmas season. Ari would not quit without giving it everything she had to get her business back. The store re opened six weeks after the fire in a temporary location with week before Christmas.
Meet Ari Driver
What’s in a name? Ari Driver is both her name and the force that propels her forward. In Ari Driver’s case, not only does ‘drive’ sum up her ability to keep moving forward as a business leader and innovator, her energy is what commands attention.
After receiving the prestigious designation of Certified Fragrance Sales Specialist (C.F.S.S.) and writing a comprehensive curriculum on fragrances, Ari went on the to earn certification to teach the courses she wrote in Private Post Secondary and Vocational Schools.
Ari opened her shop, Perfume Paradise in downtown Winnipeg in 2001.