Lifelong Nosara residents David Dinarte Dinarte and Ileana Aviles Mayorga have worked in almost every tourist business in Guiones over the past 15 years, from rentals to hotels. When they heard about non-profit Vive el Sueño providing a course to support small business owners, they said to each other, “Let’s do it. Why not?” remembered Aviles. But they had to determine the business and find a financial partner. “We didn’t have the money to do it alone,” she said.
After years working in rentals at Economy Rent A Car and Monkey Quads, David had the knowledge and confidence to start with ATV rentals. They found a partner in David Venegas Ramirez, well known in Nosara for his position at the National Electric Company (ICE) office.
The couple joined the first course of Vive el Sueño where they learned how to do the paperwork and meet the requirements to establish a quad rental business. They reached out to the many friends, neighbors and former clients they knew from their previous work to announce the ATV rentals, sales and tours. Pura Vida ATV Rentals has operated successfully for over a year now and rents quads for $50 per day and up, depending on the size of the ATV.
But Aviles was restless and wanted to add another business. She assisted Vive el Sueño as they grew from eight in that first course to 30 in the current program but kept looking around Nosara to see what was missing. She realized there were no fresh flowers in town. Anyone wanting cut flowers had to go to Nicoya, so Aviles opened Floristeria Ily in August.
Aviles and Dinarte procure their flowers weekly from growers in the mountains near Cartago, making the trip themselves after transport through a contact became too expensive. Dinarte and Aviles protect the flowers in their air-conditioned office and display samples of gorgeous lilies, roses, orchids, sunflowers, heliconias, daisies and baby’s breath out front.
In less than six months, Aviles provides flowers to hotels such as Bodhi Tree and Guardino Tropicale, to rental houses and churches. She offers fresh flowers for local weddings, funerals, anniversaries and birthdays.
“We have clients from Garza to San Juanillo,” Aviles said, explaining that they also do deliveries throughout the zone.
More info:
Pura Vida ATV Rentals’ Contact: 2682-0283, [email protected].
Floristeria Ily’s Contact: 8635-6326, [email protected].
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