Justina Flores’s first job after emigrating from the Philippines in 2002 had nothing to do with roses, but was quintessentially Canadian – she worked at Tim Horton’s. Her next two jobs had much more impact on her life and were also a little more in keeping with her talents and training with flowers and plants in her native country.
After working at a flower shop north of Toronto, Justina came downtown in 2003 to work at The Rose Emporium, located on Dupont Street. The owners liked her so much that when they decided to sell the business, they asked her to take over and keep it alive and thriving.
Justina obliged and took over on April 1, 2006. She kept the name and the focus on roses; at any given time she carries 10 to 15 varieties from Ecuador, as well as other popular flowers like the orchid.
The shop exudes warmth, with a cozy seating area and light filtering through the windows that picks up the multitude of colours and shades of the flowers. And instead an overwhelming scent, the shop offers the subtle smell of an English garden after it rains.
