Valentine’s vendors prepare for last-minute spenders

As Valentine’s Day approaches, retailers began to stress over Cupid’s romantic holiday. Several local business owners discussed the time and effort that they had to put into the holiday months before the day comes about. All the typical retail items have to be ordered, prepared, and advertised for customers. \nFlorists especially have to prepare for the holiday. Ricardo Sierra, co-owner of Flowers & Interiors, Inc., said that holidays give flower shops the most business. Christmas, Mother’s Day and Secretary Week are occasions in which flowers play an important role, Sierra said. Items in particular that have to be specially-ordered include fresh flowers, hardwoods and Valentine’s-exclusive vases, Sierra said. \n“Valentine’s Day is the biggest holiday for us,” Sierra said. The shop starts about two months in advance ordering products for the holiday. Hired help have to be increased, such as designers, deliverers, and people to wait customers in the shop.\nDarby Warne, advertising director of Kirlin’s Hallmark’s corporate office in Quincy, Ill., said that extra people always have to be on stand-by to greet and help customers as they walk in their stores.\nAnita Edington, owner of The Chocolate Emporium, said since there is no staff at the candy store, delivering in the town is much more demanding. Especially this year, an overwhelming demand of chocolate covered strawberries, made fresh, have increased the store’s workload, she said.\nWarne said that a lot more prep time is required for the holiday. On the store level, several months are required in planning for every holiday season, she said. Not only the products have to be stocked, but also color scheme and decorations in the store change.\nMuch of the same planning has to be put together when it comes to candy. More decorative items, boxed chocolates and a surplus of candy must be ordered for the holiday, Edington said.\n“It takes a lot more preparation, thinking, and investing,” Edington said. \nWarne said that Valentine’s Day is an interesting holiday because people are in the store at the very last second, as opposed to buying gifts in advance during the holiday season. Most of these people are known to be men who buy gifts for women on short notice, Warne said.\nKirlin’s Hallmark stores are opened an hour or two earlier and later than original hours on the day before and day of Valentine’s, Warne said. Edington said, however, that she will have worked many extra hours in the candy store.