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Up & Comers continued

Diego Rivera. It is also the site of Alhóndiga de Granaditas, stocked with the right products, and always working
which became a revolutionary symbol. A number of towards making our company better than the day before.
important festivals and celebrations occur throughout My wife handles everything else, she's our human resources
Guanajuato that celebrate the folklore and practices. Events department, our social media, and marketing department,
such as the Festival Internacional Cervantino, the Festival the accountant and still manages to have dinner on the
Internacional de Jazz & Blues, and the State Fair held every table at the end of the day. We're the perfect balance, and
January in León attract thousands of visitors throughout I wouldn't be able to do what I do without her support.
Mexico. I guess, in some way, I have always been around
gatherings of people in different types of scenarios – art, What's the moment when you decided you'd be
music, history, festivals. Perhaps that is why I enjoy and doing what you do?
love so much what I do in the professional field. Monty: I always knew that I was going to be in retail. It's
what I know and what I grew up in. However, in 2012
What's the moment when you decided you'd be when my family approached me and asked what we're
doing what you do? going to do with the open bay we have available, I said,
I think instead of a decision, I would call it "where life took ‘I'd like to put a fine wine boutique here,’ even thought I
me." I arrived to Fort Lauderdale as just a point of travel. had no knowledge about wine. I quickly learned the basics
My intention was to go to Italy and study art. However, of the business, and knowing my demographics on the
since day one, I’ve met amazing people, and one thing beach, I was able to expand my business within five years
took me to another. I went with the flow, got a job in a and open three other retail stores in the Fort Lauderdale
restaurant at the beach as a server, bartender, then area. Even though I've been in retail my entire life, I'm
manager, and in 2012 I became the general Manager of learning something new every day, and I love it.
Gran Forno Pronto. I was enjoying so much what I was
doing, and what I do now, that I have always thrived and You could have set up shop anywhere.
wanted to learn and challenge myself farther. Why did you choose Las Olas?
Monty: We love the atmosphere of the boulevard, and
You could have set up shop anywhere. Why did we're still close to the beach. It was a perfect opportunity
you choose Las Olas? for us. Being that I'm born and raised here, we love our
Mr. Leone Padula, the owner, choose Las Olas, which is a city, and we love to give back to our community. We work
perfect location. You have people coming from all over the with several local charities and take part in a lot of local
world to dine and shop, to spend a happy moment. It is events right here on Las Olas.
the heart of Fort Lauderdale.
Kamini: I'm from New York, and my family moved here
back in 1992 to west Davie. Growing up in Davie was
great. We were in a community where all the kids on the
block played outside until the sun went down, and then we
had to come home for dinner. The friends we made in that
neighborhood are still some of the best friends my brothers
and I have today. My childhood was very different than
Monty's, and now we share our families’ cultures together,
and it's such an amazing experience.

Kamini and Monty Lalwani
Owners of Ocean Wine and Spirits
2901 E. Las Olas Blvd., 954.306.3230
Can you tell us a bit about what you do?
Monty: Making the right deals and passing along those
prices to our customers, making sure our stores are fully

28 LAS OLAS BOULEVARD & ISLES