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Saturday Valentines Troubling To Florists

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By LAURA CONE

The Sun

Published: February 4, 2009

Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday this year. That might not bother Cupid, but some florists in Sun City Center worry a Saturday Valentine's Day might spell trouble for an industry already hurting due to the recession.

Julia Simpson, the owner of Julia's Florist & Gifts Inc., said that, compared to last year, she is cutting back her Valentine's Day orders by 20 percent in anticipation of fewer sales.

"When Valentine's Day comes on a Saturday we cut our orders because people really do like to show off," she said. "They like to send flowers to a business so everyone can see, 'Oh my wife got flowers.' Recognition is one of the reasons people send flowers."

Simpson, who is a member of the Sun City Center Area Chamber of Commerce, said she is encouraging her customers to purchase flowers early by offering discounts.

Amalia Reyes, who owns Sun City Center Flowers and Gifts with her husband Luis, agrees that a Saturday Valentine's Day is less desirable is because many customers like to send flowers to recipients at the office. Also, people who work in offices near their shop are more likely to walk in and purchase flowers during a holiday on a work day.

"Many of the offices are closed on Saturdays," Amalia Reyes said. "We are concerned. Every florist has the same question because there are a lot of businesses closed on that day."

Florists expect their retired clientele to also cut back on discretionary spending on Feb. 14.

"I think they will spend less money but they will still get flowers," Reyes said. "They will spend less than years before."

More Than Just Flowers

While her florist shop is known for their "high style" or trendy designs, Reyes said that many people opt for a funky style.

"This area is more traditional but we still do trendy work as well," she said, adding they also sell gourmet baskets, chocolates, silk flowers and fruit baskets. But chocolate and roses are the mainstays of the Valentine's Day business.

Ruby Salazar of Ruskin, a designer with Julia's Florist, said most people tend to opt for more traditional flowers such as roses and lilies for Valentine's Day arrangements.

Adding chocolates or stuffed animals bring an added element of romance and surprise, according to Salazar.

"It gives it a bigger show than the dozen roses," Salazar said, adding they sell Harry London, Fannie May and Ghirardelli chocolates to accompany flowers.

Salazar said the most popular gifts this year include the new Superior chocolate roses as well as the tower bud vases, which are clear vases that show off the stems as well as the blooms of the roses.

Simpson said another trend this year is to add a lot of "bling" to flower arrangements with diamond-like jewels wrapped in copper wire.

For more information on Julia's Florist & Gifts Inc., 761 Cortaro Drive, Sun City Center, call (813) 633-2204 or visit juliafloristonline.com. For more information on Sun City Center Flowers and Gifts, 1607 Sun City Center Plaza, call, (813) 634-2824 or visit their Web site, suncitycenterflorist.com/Sun City Center.

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

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