To quote their recent Facebook status, “We are super excited to announce that our lease has been signed and we’ll be starting construction soon! Our location is on Kiwanis St. (Kelsey Drive) between Chatters and Quesada. Can’t wait to start wowing St. John’s with these delicious products!”

Edible Arrangements is a Canadian chain, and the self-proclaimed “leaders in fresh fruit bouquets.” They have more than 1,000 stores serving fresh fruit trays and chocolate dipped fruit trays, “edible pops,” and fruit salads and smoothies, fresh to order. Other treats include chocolate oranges and caramel apples.

The heart of the operation is made-to-order fruit bouquets meant to visually dazzle recipients, in lieu of a box of chocolates. So you give these things to folks on their birthday, your anniversary, as a thank you, etc. As with a box of chocolates, you can also treat yourself when the moment feels right.

The Edible Arrangements empire — which is now worth $600 Million in sales a year — was started by Tariq Farid, a man told by many people, some 17 years ago, his business would never work. Now he has 1,200 stores, and last Valentine’s, they collectively sold nearly 2 million pounds of fruit.

Farid bought a flower shop at the ripe young age of 17, and seeing floral bouquets day in and day out, he thought, hey: what about fruit bouquets?