Its not unusual for the co-workers at Lusso Verde, a beautiful one-stop-shop for Italian fine food and fresh flowers, to have dinner together after work.
Sure they bond over creative experiments with the various products in the store artisanal pastas, high quality risotto, olive oils and chocolate, to name a few but its as if theyve been lifelong friends.
Clearly Susie Cahill has hired the best. Not only are the three young women who work with her talented, fun to be around and dedicated to the business, but they are also her daughters.
I always hoped that I would one day do a business with the girls, says Cahill, who opened Lusso Verde in November on W. 8th at Granville.
They all agree that, as the business started coming together, the girls joining her was a very natural progression.
Kelsey, Alexa, and CJ have all inherited their mothers passion for beauty, entertaining, fine wine and food. They took the opportunity to leave their jobs in the restaurant industry to join her and ensure the success of their mothers dream.
Alexa has a business degree in entrepreneurial leadership and contributes behind the scenes, while Kelsey and CJ have each taken to flower arranging. Like their mom, they all love spending time in the gorgeous glass- and tile-walled cold room, sampling Italian cheeses and cured meats.
Cahill has led by example, and now the girls all have the opportunity to shine.
She was like the Martha Stewart mom, says Alexa. We always had tons of baking at home, our Christmas tree was amazing, the garden was beautiful. She always took such care with presentation.
As they grew up, Cahill instilled in her girls a love of la dolce vita the sweet life. She has always taken great care to surround her girls with beautiful things a well-known bias in Italian culture.
While none of them have been to Italy (yet!), they all appreciate that very Italian way of living cooking with love, eating well, and cherishing family and friends. So, together, they have brought the Italian experience to Vancouver.
There is a trust and understanding that comes with working with family. Knowing each other so well makes the days easy and fun. Alexa admits that they laugh a lot at work and are often goofing around. When she goes into the back room to talk with her mom and sisters, its Cahill that teases, Uh oh, the boss is here.
CJ jokes that even though she and her sisters have been living on their own for some time now, coming in to the store feels like theyre all back living at home.
So what do the girls buy their mom for Mothers Day considering Cahill has created a store full of all of her favourite things?
Wine! exclaim CJ and Alexa in unison.
Cahill smiles. They know me so well.
