Many shops, however, are seeing early orders blossom, eliminating any worries they had of the murky economy not showing this year's sales any love.
"I was surprised last Saturday at how many young gentleman were in," said Mary Brown, manager at Buds, Blooms and Antiques in Breckenridge.
 Abi Kramer, staff at Heather Ann’s Floral and Gift, prepares an arrangement for a customer Tuesday afternoon. Orders for Valentine’s Day are similar to last year’s. Photo by Erin Hevern Advertisement |
"Some people want to enjoy them before the 14th," Brown said, who's been selling more yellow rose arrangements than red so far this year.
Wahpeton Floral and Gift and Heather Ann's Floral and Gift are experiencing the same rush of early orders, which are boosting their sales. Both expect to send out a number of orders Thursday and Friday so recipients can enjoy their Valentine's Day gift a little longer.
"The economy has had an effect on the whole town," said Wahpeton Floral and Gift co-owner Karen Selken. "But we've seen a lot more activity this week, which is good."
All three florists anticipate a number of walk-ins on Saturday.
Despite rising costs, especially for out-of-season red roses, Twin Town florists such as Selken are keeping the cost of flower arrangements at a "moderate line," reflecting a good value for her customers.
Brown considers Buds, Blooms and Antiques to be fortunate, as the price of flowers has compared closely to last year's costs.
"We've got the service and the quality, so I think our customers are happy with us," Brown said.
Although Heather Ann's is also only seeing the typical holiday increases, the shop is offering an incentive to buy early this year.
Store owner Heather Haberman said if customers pre-book their Valentine's Day order they'll be entered in a drawing to receive a gift certificate to a local restaurant. Deadline to register is Friday, Feb. 14.
Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The Daily News is not liable for messages from third parties.
DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in wahpetondailynews.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the The Daily News. The Daily News does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized The Daily News spokespersons.
Thank you for your comments!