You can wait no longer, Valentine's Day is here

BRISTOL, Va. – Fear not romantic procrastinators, red roses, cards, candy, balloons and other gifts are still available for your last-minute purchases.

But tarry no longer, because Valentine’s Day has arrived.

From florists to card shops to chain retailers, Feb. 14 is one of the busiest days of the year. And the days leading up to it can be frantic, too, said Velvet Hughes, owner of Miller’s Florist by Velvet on West State Street.

"We call in all the favors and call all the friends and family [for help]," she said Wednesday.

The family-owned business normally has two full-time designers, two who work part-time and two delivery drivers, Hughes said.

The week of Valentine’s Day, they bring in six additional delivery drivers, an extra designer and three people to help walk-in customers.

"We do as much business on Valentine’s week as we do in a regular month," she said. "It is our biggest single day all year."

The staff planned to leave work by 2 a.m. today and was scheduled to come in early, Hughes said.

"We’ll come in at 7 a.m. to load the trucks, open at 9, and we’re here until the flowers are gone," Hughes said, adding that Valentine’s Day isn’t typically celebrated at her house.

"We don’t think much about it," she said.

Long-stem red roses are traditionally best sellers and most men buy them by the dozen, she said. Gift baskets and balloons are also popular.

Roses are also in peak demand at the Food City floral boutique on Euclid Avenue, where more employees are brought in to fill hundreds of orders and prepare arrangements for customers who want to pick up some romance with their bread and milk.

"We’ll do four months worth of business in one week," floral manager Lora Huff said. "Seventy-five percent of our business [this week] is roses, either arranged or as bouquets. But we also do plants, fresh-cut bouquets of other live flowers, balloons and gift baskets."

Employees began preparing about 20 different types of arrangements last weekend and, by Wednesday afternoon, their handiwork nearly filled a 48-foot refrigerated trailer behind the store.

"It’s usually a madhouse, but we’re ahead of the ball game and pretty relaxed this year," designer Michelle Horton said, showing off sore fingers from creating 63 arrangements on Tuesday.

"I was slamming them yesterday," Horton said on Wednesday.

One reason the day is so busy is most customers wait to make their purchases, said Peggy White, manager of Zimmerman’s Hallmark on Euclid Avenue.

"It’s crazy every year because these men wait until the last minute to do their shopping," White said. "Valentine’s Day is the biggest card day of the year, and it gets bigger every year. But most of the cards are sold on the 13th and 14th."

The card shop that normally closes at 6 p.m. will also remain open later, White said.

"We’ll be here until the last customer leaves, but the selection may not be very good," she said.

Lunchtime and after 5 p.m. are expected to be the busiest times today at the Food City boutique, Huff said.

"I normally have two people at a time working here, but we’ll have 10 because we have a lot of last-minute shoppers," Huff said. "It’s grown every year. It just gets bigger and bigger."

Businesses charge more for roses this time of year because they also pay higher prices, Huff said.

"Roses are a lot more expensive to us," Huff said. "We pay more because we have to have them and, if we don’t buy them, our suppliers will sell to somebody else."

A bouquet of a dozen red roses that cost $14.99 last week at Food City will set you back $24.99 on Valentine’s Day. If you want them arranged in a vase with greenery, prices start at $39.99.

An arrangement of premium, long-stemmed red roses in a vase at Miller’s Florist is $65.

Cards are generally less than $7, while balloons range from about $5 to $20. Stuffed animals and gift baskets typically cost more.

For floral designers, one of the greatest challenges is helping male clients with the message on the card, Hughes said.

"Some people ask for ideas. Not every man is comfortable pouring his heart out to somebody over the telephone," Hughes said.

dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532